Study Desk

It was so good to see him, but we were encouraged even more to hear about the encouragement you gave him. He told us that you really want to see me and that you are very sorry for what you did. And he told us how ready and willing you are to help me. When I heard this, I was so much happier.

Even if the letter I wrote you made you sad, I am not sorry I wrote it. I know that letter made you sad, and I was sorry for that. But it made you sad only for a short time.

Now I am happy, not because you were made sad, but because your sorrow made you decide to change. That is what God wanted, so you were not hurt by us in any way.

The kind of sorrow God wants makes people decide to change their lives. This leads them to salvation, and we cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has will bring death.

And that is what was so encouraging to us. We were greatly encouraged, but we were especially pleased to see how happy Titus was. You all made him feel so much better.

These believers have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But their great joy caused them to be very generous in their giving.

But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God's people.

I am not ordering you to give, but I want to see how real your love is by comparing you with others who have been so ready and willing to help.

But I am sending these brothers to you. I don't want our bragging about you in this to be for nothing. I want you to be ready just as I said you would be.

Remember this: The one who plants few seeds will have a small harvest. But the one who plants a lot will have a big harvest.

The service you are offering helps God's people with their needs, but that is not all it does. It is also bringing more and more thanks to God.

I, Paul, am begging you with the gentleness and the kindness of Christ. Some say that I am bold when I am writing you from a distance, but not when I am there with you.

We live in this world, but we don't fight our battles in the same way the world does.

We are ready to punish anyone there who does not obey, but first we want you to be fully obedient.

It may seem as though we boast too much about the authority the Lord gave us. But he gave us this authority to strengthen you, not to hurt you. So I will not be ashamed of whatever boasting we do.

Some people say, "Paul's letters are powerful and sound important, but when he is with us, he is weak and the worst speaker you have ever heard."

But we will not boast about anything outside the work that was given us to do. We will limit our boasting to the work God gave us, but this work includes our work with you.

We would be boasting too much only if we had not already come to you. But we have come to you with the Good News about Christ.

I wish you would be patient with me even when I am a little foolish. But you are already patient with me.

But I am afraid that your minds will be led away from your true and pure following of Christ. This could happen just as Eve was tricked by that snake with his clever lies.