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that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

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For, “His letters,” they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

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Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

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For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

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But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

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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,

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not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

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so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

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But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

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For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

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I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

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For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

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But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

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For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different “good news”, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

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For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

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But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

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Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

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I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

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When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

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As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

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Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

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But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

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For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

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And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

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It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

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I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

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That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

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Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

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For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

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For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.

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I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet however any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

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Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

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Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

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Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

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Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

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I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

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in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

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Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies.

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Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

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If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

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The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forevermore, knows that I don’t lie.

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In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.

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Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.

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It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

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I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

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I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),

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how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

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On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

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For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

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By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

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Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

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He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

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Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

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I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

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Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

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For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

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Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

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I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

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But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

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Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?

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I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

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Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

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For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

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that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.

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This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

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I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;

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seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

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For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

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Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless indeed you are disqualified.

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But I hope that you will know that we aren’t disqualified.

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Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate.

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For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

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For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting.

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For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.

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Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

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Greet one another with a holy kiss.

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All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

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All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

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Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),

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and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

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Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,

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who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father–

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to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

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I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”;

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and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

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But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.

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As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

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For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.

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But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

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For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

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For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it.

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I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

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But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace,

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to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

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nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.

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Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

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But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother.

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Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.

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Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

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I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,