Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;

sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.

See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.

Final Warnings

This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”