Study Desk

For I have a very great care for you: because you have been married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you completely holy to Christ.

But I have a fear, that in some way, as Eve was tricked by the deceit of the snake, your minds may be turned away from their simple and holy love for Christ.

For if anyone comes preaching another Jesus from the one whose preachers we are, or if you have got a different spirit, or a different sort of good news from those which came to you, how well you put up with these things.

For in my opinion, I am in no way less than the most important of the Apostles.

I took money from other churches as payment for my work, so that I might be your servant;

And when I was present with you, and was in need, I let no man be responsible for me; for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, gave me whatever was needed; and in everything I kept myself from being a trouble to you, and I will go on doing so.

Why? because I have no love for you? let God be judge.

But what I do, that I will go on doing, so that I may give no chance to those who are looking for one; so that, in the cause of their pride, they may be seen to be the same as we are.

For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making themselves seem like Apostles of Christ.

And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to take the form of an angel of light.

For you put up with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise for ever, is witness that the things which I say are true.

As it is necessary for me to take glory to myself, though it is not a good thing, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

On account of such a one I will have glory: for myself I will take no glory, but only in my feeble body.

For if I had a desire to take credit to myself, it would not be foolish, for I would be saying what is true: but I will not, for fear that I might seem to any man more than he sees me to be, or has word from me that I am.

And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I take pride in my feeble body, so that the power of Christ may be on me.

So I take pleasure in being feeble, in unkind words, in needs, in cruel attacks, in troubles, on account of Christ: for when I am feeble, then am I strong.

I have been forced by you to become foolish, though it was right for my praise to have come from you: for in no way was I less than the chief of the Apostles, though I am nothing.

For what is there in which you were made less than the other churches, but in the one thing that I was not a trouble to you? Let me have forgiveness for this wrong.

This is now the third time that I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a trouble to you: my desire is for you, not for your property: for it is not the children's business to make store for their fathers, but the fathers for the children.