For we don't desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

Therefore I resolved this, much less did I use levity: or what I resolve, do I resolve according to the flesh, that there be with me yea, yea, and nay, nay

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow, but {to some degree}--{in order not to say too much}--[to] all [of] you.

So that instead you ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with too much sorrow.

Now if the administration of death which was engraved in letters of stone, was invested with glory ??so much so, that the children of Israel could not gaze at the face of Moses on account of the dazzling glory that was fading from his face;

how will the ministry of the Spirit [the new covenant which allows us to be Spirit-filled] fail to be even more glorious and splendid?

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

Having therefore such hope, we use much boldness:

Because of this (having this ministry), in as much as we received mercy, we do not become discouraged.

For everything [i.e., that we have experienced. See verses 8-12] is for your sakes so that [God's] unearned favor, being extended to so many, [in bringing them salvation through Paul's ministry] may result in much thanksgiving in praise to God.

For our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is working out for us a much greater weight of glory;

So, we are also eager to please God very much, whether we are at home [in our body] or away from it.

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet as you see very much alive, as punished and yet not killed,

I speak not this to condemn you: for I said before that ye are so much in our hearts that we could live and die with you.

I have great confidence in you. I am very proud of you. I am very much encouraged. I am overjoyed in all our troubles.

For, behold, this same thing, your being grieved according to God, how much diligence it wrought in you, but what excusing of yourselves, but what indignation, but what fear, but what ardent desire, but what zeal, but what vengeance: in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter.

Because of this we have been encouraged, and in addition to our encouragement, we rejoiced much more over the joy of Titus, because his spirit had been refreshed by all of you.

And, his tender affections, are, much more abundantly towards you, when he calleth to mind the obedience, of you all, - how, with fear and trembling, ye gave him welcome.

I am glad I can have so much confidence in you about everything.

how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

Not only [did they give materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could].

So we urged Titus that, as he began it, he should also complete this gracious work among you as well.

but to equalize the burden, and in the present situation to have your plenty make up for what they need, so that some day their plenty may make up for what you need, and so things may be made equal??15 as the Scripture says, "The man who got much did not have too much, and the man who got little did not have too little."

As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

wherefore show how much you love them, and how well you deserve the character I gave you, before all the churches.

Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go before to you, and make ready beforehand your bounty, which has been so much talked of before, that this might be ready as a bounty, and not as a gift extorted from you.

For this work of giving not only takes care of the needs of the saints, but is the cause of much praise to God;

Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is.

So if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave us to build you up and not to tear you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

For we don't stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn't reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

You put up with fools so readily, you who know so much!

Are they servants of Christ?--I am speaking as though I were beside myself--I [am] more so, with far greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with beatings to a much greater degree, in [danger of] death many times.

Because of the surpassing greatness and extraordinary nature of the revelations [which I received from God], for this reason, to keep me from thinking of myself as important, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself!

But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less?