13. I am not writing anything you cannot read and understand. I hope you will understand it completely,
14. just as you already partly understand us. Then when our Lord Jesus returns, you can be as proud of us as we are of you.
15. I was so sure of your pride in us that I had planned to visit you first of all. In this way you would have the blessing of two visits from me.
16. Once on my way to Macedonia and again on my return from there. Then you could send me on to Judea.
17. Do you think I couldn't make up my mind about what to do? Or do I seem like someone who says “Yes” or “No” simply to please others?
18. God can be trusted, and so can I, when I say that our answer to you has always been “Yes” and never “No”.
19. This is because Jesus Christ the Son of God is always “Yes” and never “No”. And he is the one that Silas, Timothy, and I told you about.
20. Christ says “Yes” to all of God's promises. That's why we have Christ to say “Amen” for us to the glory of God.
21. And so God makes it possible for you and us to stand firmly together with Christ. God is also the one who chose us
22. and put his Spirit in our hearts to show that we belong only to him.
23. God is my witness that I stayed away from Corinth, just to keep from being hard on you.
24. We are not bosses who tell you what to believe. We are working with you to make you glad, because your faith is strong.