Ministers of the New Covenant

¹² Now when I went to Troas^(A) to preach the gospel of Christ^(B) and found that the Lord had opened a door^(C) for me, ¹³ I still had no peace of mind,^(D) because I did not find my brother Titus^(E) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.^(F)

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(G) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(H) of the knowledge^(I) of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma^(J) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.^{(K) 16} To the one we are an aroma that brings death;^(L) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?^{(M) 17} Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.^(N) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,^(O) as those sent from God.^(P)

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves^(Q) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation^(R) to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(S) 3} You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,^(T) not on tablets of stone^(U) but on tablets of human hearts.^(V)

⁴ Such confidence^(W) we have through Christ before God. ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(X) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^{(Y) 6} He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant^(Z)—not of the letter^(AA) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.^(AB)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(A) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a](B) even though I am nothing.^{(C) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(D) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(E) Forgive me this wrong!^(F)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(G) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(H) but parents for their children.^{(I) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(J) If I love you more,^(K) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(L) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷ Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged^(M) Titus^(N) to go to you and I sent our brother^(O) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(P) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(Q) is for your strengthening.^{(R) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(S) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(T) I fear that there may be discord,^(U) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(V) slander,^(W) gossip,^(X) arrogance^(Y) and disorder.^{(Z) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(AA) over many who have sinned earlier^(AB) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(AC) in which they have indulged.