I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues---unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped.

After these things had happened, Paul made up his mind to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go on to Jerusalem. "After I go there," he said, "I must also see Rome."

I was so sure of all this that I made plans at first to visit you, in order that you might be blessed twice.

In planning this, did I appear fickle? When I make my plans, do I make them from selfish motives, ready to say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?

I call God as my witness---he knows my heart! It was in order to spare you that I decided not to go to Corinth.

So I made up my mind not to come to you again to make you sad.

For if I were to make you sad, who would be left to cheer me up? Only the very persons I had made sad.

Instead, he told them as he left, "If it is the will of God, I will come back to you." And so he sailed from Ephesus.

And so I will come to you full of joy, if it is God's will, and enjoy a refreshing visit with you.

Let us go forward! And this is what we will do, if God allows.

What you should say is this: "If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that."

Some of you have become proud because you have thought that I would not be coming to visit you.

This is now the third time that I am coming to visit you. "Any accusation must be upheld by the evidence of two or more witnesses"---as the scripture says.

You will have all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. When he deals with you, he is not weak; instead, he shows his power among you.

Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature. But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world---powers that are losing their power.