But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.
For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,
For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.
But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.