¹⁷ Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus ^(A)in the things which pertain to God.

¹⁴ Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us ^[a]diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. ¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ ^(A)among those who are being saved and ^(B)among those who are perishing. ^16 (C)To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And ^(D)who is sufficient for these things?

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹ I have become ^(A)a fool ^[a]in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for ^(B)in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though ^(C)I am nothing. ^12 (D)Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and ^(E)wonders and mighty ^(F)deeds. ¹³ For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Love for the Church

^14 (G)Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for ^(H)I do not seek yours, but you. ^(I)For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵ And I will very gladly spend and be spent ^(J)for your souls; though ^(K)the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶ But be that as it may, ^(L)I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus, and sent our ^(M)brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

^19 (N)Again, ^[b]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? ^(O)We speak before God in Christ. ^(P)But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. ²⁰ For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that ^(Q)I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ²¹ lest, when I come again, my God ^(R)will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many ^(S)who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, ^(T)fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

Qualifications for High Priesthood

5 For every high priest taken from among men ^(A)is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

³ For we are ^(A)the circumcision, ^(B)who worship ^[a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,