⁵ As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed,^(A)

³³ I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing.^(A)

¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you?

⁹ For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel^[a] of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers,^(A)

²⁰ In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!

¹² cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble,^{(A) 13} cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves—and human lives.^[a](B)

¹⁸ For they speak bombastic nonsense, and with debased^[a] desires of the flesh they entice people who have just^[b] escaped from those who live in error.

¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery,^[a] insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! ¹⁵ They have left the straight road and have gone astray, following the road of Balaam son of Bosor,^[b] who loved the wages of doing wrong^(A)

³ And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle, and their destruction is not asleep.^(A)

² to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight,^[a] not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it,^[b] not for sordid gain but eagerly.^(A)