³ My defense to those who examine me is this:

¹⁶ At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. ^(A)May it not be charged against them.

¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

⁷ just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

^10 (A)Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the ^(B)authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

⁵ Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, ^(A)that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you ^[a]are ^(B)disqualified.

³ since you seek a proof of Christ ^(A)speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty ^(B)in you.

¹⁶ But be that as it may, ^(A)I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus, and sent our ^(B)brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

^19 (C)Again, ^[a]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? ^(D)We speak before God in Christ. ^(E)But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.

Reality of Paul’s Authority

^7 (A)Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? ^(B)If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even ^[a]so ^(C)we are Christ’s. ⁸ For even if I should boast somewhat more ^(D)about our authority, which the Lord gave ^[b]us for ^[c]edification and not for your destruction, ^(E)I shall not be ashamed—