2 Corinthians 1

1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy, a brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all of Achaia:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation.4 He consoles us in all our tribulation, so that we too may be able to console those who are in any kind of distress, through the exhortation by which we also are being exhorted by God.5 For just as the Passion of Christ abounds in us, so also, through Christ, does our consolation abound.6 So, if we are in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation, or if we are in consolation, it is for your consolation, or if we are exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which results in the patience endurance of the same passion which we also endure.7 So may our hope for you be made firm, knowing that, just as you are participants in the suffering, so also shall you be participants in the consolation.8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about our tribulation, which happened to us in Asia. For we were weighed down beyond measure, beyond our strength, so that we became weary, even of life itself.9 But we had within ourselves the response to death, so that we would not have faith in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.10 He has rescued us, and he is rescuing us, from great peril. In him, we hope that he will continue to rescue us.11 And you are assisting, with your prayers for us, so that from many persons, by that which is a gift in us, thanks may be given through many persons, because of us.12 For our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience, which is found in simplicity of heart and in sincerity toward God. And it is not with worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God, that we have conversed with this world, and more abundantly toward you.13 For we write nothing else to you other than what you have read and understood. And I hope that you will continue to understand, even unto the end.14 And just as you have acknowledged us in our role, that we are your glory, so also you are ours, unto the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.15 And with this confidence, I wanted to come to you sooner, so that you might have a second grace,16 and through you to pass into Macedonia, and to return to you again from Macedonia, and so be led by you on my way to Judea.17 Then, although I had intended this, did I act lightly? Or in the things that I consider, do I consider according to the flesh, so that there would be, with me, both Yes and No?18 But God is faithful, so our word, which was set before you, was not, in him, both Yes and No.19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you through us, through myself and Sylvanus and Timothy, was not Yes, and No; but was simply Yes in him.20 For whatever promises are of God are, in him, Yes. For this reason, too, through him: Amen to God for our glory.21 Now the One who confirms us with you in Christ, and who has anointed us, is God.22 And he has sealed us, and he has placed the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.23 But I call God as a witness to my soul, that I was lenient with you, in that I did not return to Corinth:24 not because we have dominion over your faith, but because we are assistants of your joy. For by faith you stand.

2 Corinthians 1

Salutation

1 From Paul,t an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth,s with all the saints who are in all Achaia.t

2 Grace and peace to yout from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Thanksgiving for God’s Comfort

3 Blessed ist the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,4 who comforts us in all our troublest so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any troublet with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.5 For just as the sufferingst of Christt overflowt toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you.t6 But if we are afflicted,t it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.7 And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share int our sufferings, so also you will share int our comfort.8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,t regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia,t that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.9 Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us,t so that we would not trust in ourselvest but in God who raises the dead.10 Het delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on himt thats he will deliver us yet again,

11 as you also join in helping us by prayer, so that many people may give thanks to Godt on our behalf for the gracious gift given to us through the help of many.

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

12 For our reason for confidencet is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motivesst and sincerity which are from Godt – not by human wisdomt but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the moret toward you.13 For we do not write you anything other than whatt you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completelyt14 just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ourst in the day of the Lord Jesus.s15 And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us,t16 and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come backt to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you.17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I?t Or do I make my planst according to mere human standardst so that I would be sayingt both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?18 But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us – by me and Silvanuss and Timothy – was not “Yes” and “No,” but it has always been “Yes” in him.20 For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God.21 But it is God who establishest us together with you in Christ and who anointed us,t

22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.ts
23 Now I appeal to God as my witness,t that to sparet you I did not come again to Corinth.ss24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.t