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¹ Listen to me, cowboys. We have these amazing promises from God so we should always do the best we can to stay away from things he tells us to stay away from. If you truly respect the brand, then you will strive to live holy lives.

Paul's Passion

² I'm going to ask y'all again, open your hearts to us! We've done no wrong to anyone. We haven't talked anyone into doing something they shouldn't or cheated anyone out of something they have. ³ But don't think I'm accusing y'all of any of this. I've told you more'n a few times that we love y'all. We'd stand in front of a mad momma cow for y'all. ⁴ In fact, we are very proud of the cowboys y'all have become. Y'all have encouraged me immensely, even during all my troubles.

⁵ When we rode into Macedonia, it was constant mayhem. We were attacked from every direction. The battle against evil on the outside wasn't any harder than the battle against fear on the inside. ⁶ But God, who always lifts up those who've been knocked down, sure helped us out when he sent Titus to us. ⁷ It was great to see another cowboy, but it was even greater to hear how y'all had encouraged him to ride with faith and courage. He passed along what y'all said about wanting to see me again. He also told me how sorry y'all were for the things you'd done. And finally, he told me y'all are really ready to ride for the brand now and help me in this gathering. When I heard this, I was ecstatic.

⁸ Even if my last letter got you down a little bit, I'm not sorry for the things I said. I know it hurt to hear some of those things and that was not my intention. But I'm glad y'all didn't stay hurt for long. ⁹ Now, I'm happy. Not because you were hurt, but because of your pain you decided to change. ¹⁰ God will allow a little bit of pain that will produce a whole lot of change. God wants you to have sorrow that will help you turn away from sin and turn to him. And when we turn to him, then we are saved. But beware of worldly sorrow! Worldly sorrow is pain without repentance and that results in death.

¹¹ Godly sorrow on the other hand, results in focus. It made you want to clear your name. It opened your eyes. It made you want to see me. It made you long for the right way of doing things. You've shown you know how to do the hard things that are necessary. ¹² So, don't get me wrong. My first letter's purpose wasn't to chastise the one who was doing things wrong. It wasn't even to make the one who was hurt feel better. I wrote to you so we would be a crew again, riding together for the brand. ¹³ And God allowed that to happen. For that, I am greatly encouraged.

Not only that, but we were also thrilled to see how happy y'all made Titus. ¹⁴ I'd bragged on y'all a lot and you didn't disappoint me. I've always told the truth and y'all didn't make a liar out of me. ¹⁵ He's always talking about how much y'all want to learn and ride for the Lord. He was happy to teach cowboys who want to learn and know what respect is. ¹⁶ My confidence in y'all is now complete.