Greeting
1 Paul,an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, andTimothyourbrother,
# To the church of God which is at Corinth,with all the saints who are in all Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Comfort in Suffering
3 Blessedbethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 whocomforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For asthe sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
6 Now if we are afflicted,itisfor your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope for youissteadfast, because we know thatas you are partakers of the sufferings, so alsoyouwillpartakeof the consolation.
Delivered from Suffering
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, ofour trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we shouldnot trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliverus,
11 you alsohelping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalffor the giftgrantedto us through many.
Paul’s Sincerity
12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity andgodly sincerity,not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
13 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end
14 (as also you have understood us in part),that we are your boast asyou alsoareours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Sparing the Church
15 And in this confidenceI intended to come to you before, that you might havea second benefit—
16 to pass by way of you to Macedonia,to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea.
17 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I planaccording to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No?
18 ButasGodisfaithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.
19 Forthe Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me,Silvanus, andTimothy—was not Yes and No,but in Him was Yes.
20 For all the promises of God in HimareYes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ andhas anointed usisGod,
22 whoalso has sealed us andgiven us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
23 MoreoverI call God as witness against my soul,that to spare you I came no more to Corinth.
24 Notthat we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; forby faith you stand.