¹⁴ Now I’m ready to visit you for a third time, and I will not bother you for help. I do not want your things, but rather you yourselves. Children should not have to support^[a] their parents, but parents their children. ¹⁵ I will be very glad to spend my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much?

¹⁶ Granting that I have not been a burden to you, was I a clever schemer who trapped you by some trick? ¹⁷ I did not take advantage of you through any of the men I sent you, did I? ¹⁸ I encouraged Titus to visit you, and I sent along with him the brother you know so well. Titus didn’t take advantage of you, did he? We conducted ourselves with the same spirit, didn’t we? We took the very same steps, didn’t we?