I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.

我也甘心乐意为你们的灵魂费财费力。难道我越发爱你们，就越发少得你们的爱吗？

我也甘心乐意为你们的灵魂费财费力。难道我越爱你们，就越少得你们的爱吗？

我也甘心乐意为你们的灵魂费财费力。难道我越爱你们，就越少得你们的爱吗？

为了你们的灵魂，我甘愿付出，包括自己的生命。难道我越爱你们，就越得不到你们的爱吗？

至于我，我甘心乐意为你们的灵魂付上一切，鞠躬尽瘁。难道我越爱你们，就越得不到你们的爱吗？

所以为了你们的灵魂，我会极其乐意地付出，甚至完全付出。难道我爱你们越多，就越少得到你们的爱吗？

我也甘心樂意為你們的靈魂費財費力。難道我越發愛你們，就越發少得你們的愛嗎？

我也甘心樂意為你們的靈魂費財費力。難道我越愛你們，就越少得你們的愛嗎？

我也甘心樂意為你們的靈魂費財費力。難道我越愛你們，就越少得你們的愛嗎？

為了你們的靈魂，我甘願付出，包括自己的生命。難道我越愛你們，就越得不到你們的愛嗎？

至於我，我甘心樂意為你們的靈魂付上一切，鞠躬盡瘁。難道我越愛你們，就越得不到你們的愛嗎？

論到我嘛、我頂喜歡地為你們開費，以至於費盡了我自己。是不是我越發愛你們，就該越發少得你們的愛呢？

所以為了你們的靈魂，我會極其樂意地付出，甚至完全付出。難道我愛你們越多，就越少得到你們的愛嗎？

我為爾靈、欣然委身盡己矣、我愈愛爾、而愈鮮見愛乎、

緣益爾曹、余歡然費財盡已、然我愈愛爾、愈失爾愛、

雖我愈愛爾、愈不見爾愛我、我仍為爾靈魂、甘於費財盡己、

吾為爾等靈魂之故、固不惜任何之犧牲、即犧牲本身、亦所甘心。豈吾之愛爾愈厚、而爾之愛我愈薄耶？

So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?

So I will be very happy to spend everything I have for you. I will even spend myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.

But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.

Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.

So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful.

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you.Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world— to people and angels alike.Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash— right up to the present moment.I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.So I urge you to imitate me.That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again.

There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us.I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!

I’m not saying this to condemn you. I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.“ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years.

Now Ahithophel urged Absalom,“ Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight.I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king,and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people.”This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have— I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children.

even if you don’t understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.

Each time he said,“ My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried,“ O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”

And King David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.