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,

¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had ^(A)to be made like His brethren, that He might be ^(B)a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

The Vision of Paradise

12 It is ^[a]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to ^(A)visions and ^(B)revelations of the Lord:

Reluctant Boasting

¹⁶ I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I speak, ^(A)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸ Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. ¹⁹ For you put up with fools gladly, ^(B)since you yourselves are wise! ²⁰ For you put up with it ^(C)if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. ²¹ To our shame ^(D)I say that we were too weak for that! But ^(E)in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

²² Are they ^(F)Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³ Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: ^(G)in labors more abundant, ^(H)in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, ^(I)in deaths often. ²⁴ From the Jews five times I received ^(J)forty ^(K)stripes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(L)beaten with rods; ^(M)once I was stoned; three times I ^(N)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶ in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, ^(O)in perils of my own countrymen, ^(P)in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ in weariness and toil, ^(Q)in sleeplessness often, ^(R)in hunger and thirst, in ^(S)fastings often, in cold and nakedness— ²⁸ besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: ^(T)my deep concern for all the churches. ^29 (U)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

³⁰ If I must boast, ^(V)I will boast in the things which concern my ^[a]infirmity.

^4 (A)Great is my boldness of speech toward you, ^(B)great is my boasting on your behalf. ^(C)I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.