And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.<n id="1" />

In Damascus, the governor<n id="1" /> under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus<n id="2" /> in order to arrest<n id="3" /> me,

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession<n id="1" /> in Christ<n id="2" /> and who makes known<n id="3" /> through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.

always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus,<n id="1" /> so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible<n id="2" /> in our body.

And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

And his affection for you is much greater<n id="1" /> when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

For you know the grace<n id="1" /> of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.

because I know your eagerness to help.<n id="1" /> I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours,<n id="2" /> that Achaia has been ready to give<n id="3" /> since last year, and your zeal to participate<n id="4" /> has stirred up most of them.<n id="5" />

and every arrogant obstacle<n id="1" /> that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey<n id="2" /> Christ.

And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals<n id="1" /> in the things they boast about.

For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.<n id="1" />

We were encouraged<n id="1" /> not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement<n id="2" /> you gave<n id="3" /> him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning,<n id="4" /> your deep concern<n id="5" /> for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

In addition,<n id="1" /> this brother<n id="2" /> has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift<n id="3" /> to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help.<n id="4" />

Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution<n id="1" /> you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift<n id="2" /> and not as something you feel forced to do.<n id="3" />

For how<n id="1" /> were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive<n id="1" /> I may not have to deal harshly with you<n id="2" /> by using my authority &#8211; the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!p>