8. My friends, I want you to know what a hard time we had in Asia. Our sufferings were so horrible and so unbearable that death seemed certain.
9. In fact, we felt sure that we were going to die. But this made us stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God, who raises the dead to life.
10. God saved us from the threat of death, and we are sure that he will do it again and again.
11. Please help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks for the blessings we receive in answer to all these prayers.
12. We can be proud of our clear conscience. We have always lived honestly and sincerely, especially when we were with you. And we were guided by God's wonderful kindness instead of by the wisdom of this world.
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”.