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writing, that, In weakness and in pain and in fear and in much trembling I was with you. For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were approved of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts. Do you see that, as I said, from their opposition he makes a proof of the preaching being divine? For if this were not so, if it were a deception, we would not have endured so many dangers, they not even allowing us to breathe. What then is it? If something of the things to come had not stirred us up, if we had not been persuaded that there is a good hope, we would not have been so disposed to suffer with readiness. For who would choose for the sake of things here to endure so much, and to live a life of struggle, and full of dangers? for whom could they persuade? for are not these very things sufficient to disturb the disciples, when they see their teachers in dangers? But you have not suffered this. For our exhortation, that is, our teaching, is not of deceit. It is not guile, he says, the matter, nor deception, that we should give in; it is not for abominable things, such as of sorcerers and magicians; for this is the meaning of, Of uncleanness; nor in guile, nor with any insurrection, which Theudas made. But as we were approved of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God. Do you see, that it is not vainglory? But to God, he says, who tries our hearts. We do nothing for the sake of pleasing men, he says; for for what reason would we have done these things? Then, having praised them by saying, Not as wishing to please men, nor seeking honors from men, he added: But as we were approved of God to be put in trust with the Gospel. As if he had said: If He had not seen us detached from everything worldly, He would not have chosen us; as therefore He approved us, so we also remain. We have been 62.402 approved, he says, by God; that is, He approved us and entrusted to us the Gospel. As therefore we appeared approved to God, so we also remain. The proof of this virtue is being entrusted with the Gospel; and if there were anything wicked in us, God would not have approved us. But the word, approved, here is instead of, He found us approved and entrusted, not that it is to search; for we act after testing, but He without testing. Therefore we speak thus, as is fitting for those who have been approved by God and entrusted as worthy of the Gospel; and, We speak, not as pleasing men; that is, we do not do all these things for your sake. Since he had previously praised them, lest he bring his word into suspicion, he says: For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness: Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. For neither at any time used we flattering words, he says; that is, We did not flatter, which is the practice of deceivers, of those wishing to take hold and to have power. It cannot be said that we flattered in order to have power, nor that we came to this for the sake of money. For this then, which was manifest, he calls them as witnesses: If we flattered, you know, he says; but for that which was not manifest, that is, if with a manner of covetousness, he calls God as a witness. Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ; that is, neither seeking honors, and boasting, and being attended by a guard. And yet, if we had done this, we would have been doing nothing improper; for if some who are sent from kings are nevertheless held in honor, much more so we. And he did not say, that we were dishonored, nor that we did not enjoy honor, which would have been to reproach them; but, We did not seek it. We, therefore, who did not seek it when it was in our power to seek it, and when the preaching required this, how do we do anything for the sake of glory?

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γράφων, ὅτι Ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ καὶ ἐν πόνῳ καὶ ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἐν τρόμῳ πολλῷ ἐγενόμην πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ἡ γὰρ παράκλησις ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐκ πλάνης, οὐδὲ ἐξ ἀκαθαρσίας, οὔτε ἐν δόλῳ· ἀλλὰ καθὼς δεδοκιμάσμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πιστευθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, οὕτω λαλοῦμεν, οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκοντες, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ δοκιμάζοντι τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ὅπερ ἔφην, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνστάσεως αὐτῶν ποιεῖται τεκμήριον τοῦ θεῖον εἶναι τὸ κήρυγμα; Οὐ γὰρ ἂν, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἦν, εἰ ἀπάτη ἦν, τοσούτους κινδύνους ὑπεμείναμεν ἂν, οὐδὲ ἀναπνεῦσαι διδόντας ἡμῖν. Τί ποτ' οὖν ἐστιν; Εἰ μή τι τῶν μελλόντων διήγειρεν ἡμᾶς, εἰ μὴ ἐπεπείσμεθα ὅτι ἐλπίς ἐστιν ἀγαθὴ, οὐκ ἂν προθυμότεροι πάσχοντες διεκείμεθα. Τίς γὰρ ἂν ἕλοιτο ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐνταῦθα τοσαῦτα ὑπομένειν, καὶ βίον ἐναγώνιον ζῇν, καὶ κινδύνων γέμοντα; τίνα γὰρ ἂν πείσαιεν; αὐτὰ γὰρ ταῦτα οὐχ ἱκανὰ θορυβῆσαι τοὺς μαθητὰς, ὅταν τοὺς διδασκάλους ὁρῶσιν ἐν κινδύνοις; Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὑμεῖς τοῦτο πεπόνθατε· Ἡ γὰρ παράκλησις ἡμῶν, τουτέστιν, ἡ διδαχὴ, οὐκ ἐκ πλάνης. Οὐκ ἔστι δόλος, φησὶ, τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὐδὲ ἀπάτη, ἵνα ἐνδῶμεν· οὐκ ἔστιν ὑπὲρ μυσαρῶν πραγμάτων, οἷον γοήτων καὶ μάγων· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ, Ἐξ ἀκαθαρσίας· οὔτε ἐν δόλῳ, οὔτε ἐν ἐπιστάσει τινὶ, ὅπερ ὁ Θευδᾶς ἐποίησεν· Ἀλλὰ καθὼς δεδοκιμάσμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πιστευθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, οὕτω λαλοῦμεν, οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκοντες, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι κενοδοξία; Ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ, φησὶ, τῷ δοκιμάζοντι τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν. Οὐδὲν πρὸς ἀρέσκειαν ἀνθρώπων πράττομεν, φησί· τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν ταῦτα ἂν ἐπράξαμεν; Ἔπειτα ἐπαινέσας αὐτοὺς, τῷ λέγειν, Οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώποις θέλοντες ἀρέσαι, οὔτε τὰς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐπιζητοῦντες τιμὰς, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἀλλὰ καθὼς δεδοκιμάσμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πιστευθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Ὡς εἰ ἔλεγεν· Εἰ μὴ εἶδε παντὸς ἀπηλλαγμένους βιωτικοῦ, οὐκ ἂν ἡμᾶς εἵλετο· καθὼς οὖν ἐδοκίμασε, τοιοῦτοι καὶ μένομεν. ∆εδο 62.402 κιμάσμεθα, φησὶν, ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ· τουτέστιν, ἡμᾶς ἐδοκίμασε καὶ ἐνεπίστευσε τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Ὡς οὖν δόκιμοι ἐφάνημεν τῷ Θεῷ, οὕτω καὶ μένομεν. Ταύτης τῆς ἀρετῆς τεκμήριον τὸ πιστευθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· οὐκ ἂν δὲ, εἴ τι φαῦλον ἐν ἡμῖν ἦν, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμᾶς ἐδοκίμασε. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐδοκίμασεν, ἐνταῦθα ἀντὶ τοῦ, Εὗρε δοκίμους καὶ ἐπίστευσεν, οὐχὶ ἐρευνῆσαί ἐστιν· ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ δοκιμάσαι πράττομεν, αὐτὸς δὲ χωρὶς δοκιμῆς. Οὐκοῦν οὕτω λαλοῦμεν, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοκιμασθέντας καὶ πιστευθέντας ἀξίους εἶναι τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου· καὶ, Λαλοῦμεν, οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκοντες· τουτέστιν, οὐ δι' ὑμᾶς ταῦτα πάντα ποιοῦμεν. Ἐπειδὴ προλαβὼν αὐτοὺς ἐπῄνεσεν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ὑποψίαν ἀγάγῃ τὸν λόγον, φησίν· Οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν, καθὼς οἴδατε, οὔτε ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας, ὁ Θεὸς μάρτυς, οὔτε ζητοῦντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν, οὔτε ἀφ' ὑμῶν οὔτε ἀπ' ἄλλων, δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι. Οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν, φησί· τουτέστιν, Οὐκ ἐκολακεύσαμεν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τῶν ἀπατώντων, τῶν βουλομένων κατασχεῖν καὶ κρατῆσαι. Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὅτι ἐκολακεύσαμεν, ἵνα κρατήσωμεν, οὐδὲ ὅτι χρημάτων ἕνεκεν ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἥκομεν. Τούτου λοιπὸν, ὅπερ ἦν δῆλον, αὐτοὺς καλεῖ μάρτυρας· Εἰ ἐκολακεύσαμεν, ὑμεῖς οἴδατε, φησίν· ὅπερ δὲ ἄδηλον ἦν, τὸ, εἰ τρόπῳ πλεονεξίας, Θεὸν καλεῖ μάρτυρα. Οὔτε ζητοῦντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν, οὔτε ἀφ' ὑμῶν οὔτε ἀπ' ἄλλων, δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι· τουτέστιν, οὔτε τιμὰς ἐπιζητοῦντες, καὶ κομπάζοντες, καὶ δορυφορούμενοι. Καίτοι εἰ καὶ τοῦτο εἰργασάμεθα, οὐδὲν ἀλλότριον ἐποιοῦμεν· εἰ γὰρ παρὰ βασιλέων ἀποστελλόμενοί τινες ὅμως εἰσὶν ἐν τιμῇ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἠτιμάσθημεν, οὐδὲ ὅτι Οὐκ ἀπελαύσαμεν τιμῆς, ὅπερ ἦν ὀνειδίζοντος αὐτούς· ἀλλ', Οὐκ ἐζητήσαμεν. Οἱ τοίνυν, ἐξὸν ζητῆσαι, μὴ ζητήσαντες, καὶ τοῦ κηρύγματος τοῦτο ἀπαιτοῦντος, πῶς δόξης ἕνεκέν τι πράττομεν;