HKB
be a fool: for I would say the truth. Nevertheless I spare, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth me to be, or heareth of me.
And lest I should be exalted out of measure thorow the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me of God unquietness of the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me: because I should not be exalted out of measure. For this thing besought I the lord thrice, that it might depart from me: and he said unto me: my grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect thorow weakness. Very gladly therefore will I rejoice of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore have I delectation in infirmities, in rebukes, in need, in persecutions, in anguish, for Christi's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
I am made a fool in boasting myself. Ye have compelled me: I ought to have been commended of you. For in nothing was I inferior unto the chief apostles, though I be nothing, yet the tokens of an apostle were wrought among you with all patience: with signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. For what is it wherein ye were inferiors unto other congregations? except it be therein that I was not grievous unto you. Forgive me this wrong done unto you. Behold now the third time I am ready to come unto you, neither will I be grievous unto you. For I seek not yours but you. Also the children ought not to lay up for the fathers and mothers: but the fathers and mothers for the children.
I will very gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your souls: though the more I love you, the less I am loved again. But be it that I grieved you not: nevertheless I was crafty and took you with guile. Did I pill you by any of them which I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother: Did Titus defraud you of any thing? walked we not in one spirit? walked we not in like steps? Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves? we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
But we do all things dearly beloved for your edifying. For I fear lest it come to pass, that when I come, I shall not find you such as I would: and I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: I fear lest there be found among you lawynge, envying, wrath, strife, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, and debate. I fear lest when I come again, God bring me low among you, and I be constrained to bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed.
The .xiij. Chapter.
Now come I the third time unto you: in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand. I told you before, and tell you before, as I said when I was present with you the second time, so write I now being absent to them which in time past have sinned, and to all other: If I come again, I will not spare seeing that ye seek experience of Christ which speaketh in me, which among you is not weak, but is mighty in you. And verily though it came of weakness that he was crucified, yet liveth he thorow the power of God: and we no doubt are weak in him: but we shall live with him, by the might that God gave us to youward.