1^{* a} Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You are our letter,^* written on our hearts, known and read by all, 3^{* b} shown to be a letter of Christ administered by us, written not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.

4^* Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God,^c