8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,¹ of ^mthe affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us ⁿrely not on ourselves ^obut on God ^pwho raises the dead. 10 ^qHe delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. ^rOn him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 ^sYou also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf ^tfor the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

12 For our boast is this, ^uthe testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity² and ^vgodly sincerity, ^wnot by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand— 14 just as you did ^xpartially understand us—that ^yon the day of our Lord Jesus ^zyou will boast of us as ^awe will boast of you.