18. But since you can believe God, you can believe that what we tell you is never both yes and no.
19. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, that Silas and Timothy and I preached to you, was not yes and no. In Christ it has always been yes.
20. The yes to all of God’s promises is in Christ, and through Christ we say yes to the glory of God.
21. Remember, God is the One who makes you and us strong in Christ. God made us his chosen people.
22. He put his mark on us to show that we are his, and he put his Spirit in our hearts to be a guarantee for all he has promised.
23. I tell you this, and I ask God to be my witness that this is true: The reason I did not come back to Corinth was to keep you from being punished or hurt.
24. We are not trying to control your faith. You are strong in faith. But we are workers with you for your own joy.