A Visit Postponed

¹⁵ I planned with this confidence to come to you first,^(A) so you could have a double benefit,^{[a] 16} and to go on to Macedonia^(B) with your help, then come to you again from Macedonia and be given a start by you^(C) on my journey^(D) to Judea.^{(E) 17} So when I planned this, was I irresponsible? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human^[b](F) way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” simultaneously? ¹⁸ As God is faithful,^(G) our message to you is not “Yes and no.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God,^(H) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus^[c](I) and Timothy—did not become “Yes and no”; on the contrary, a final “Yes” has come in Him.^{(J) 20} For every one of God’s promises^(K) is “Yes” in Him. Therefore, the “Amen”^(L) is also spoken through Him by us for God’s glory.^{(M) 21} Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed^(N) us. ²² He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment^(O) in our hearts.^(P)