2 Corinthians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother: to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia:2 Grace unto you and peace 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 comfort.4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation; that we also may be able to comfort them who are in all distress, by the exhortation wherewith we also are exhorted by God.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us: so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.6 Now whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation: or whether we be exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.7 That our hope for you may be steadfast: knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.8 For we would not have you ignorant,brethren, of our tribulation, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above our strength, so that we were weary even of life.9 But we had in ourselves the answer of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead.10 Who hath delivered and doth deliver us out of so great dangers: in whom we trust that he will yet also deliver us.11 You helping withal in prayer for us: that for this gift obtained for us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf.12 For our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity of heart and sincerity of God, and not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have conversed in this world: and more abundantly towards you.13 For we write no other things to you than what you have read and known. And I hope that you shall know unto the end:14 As also you have known us in part, that we are your glory, as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.15 And in this confidence I had a mind to come to you before, that you might have a second grace:16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be brought on my way towards Judea.17 Whereas then I was thus minded, did I use lightness? Or, the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that there should be with me, It is, and It is not?18 But God is faithful, for our preaching which was to you, was not, It is, and It is not.19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us, by me, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, was not, It is and It is not, but, It is, was in him.20 For all the promises of God are in him, It is; therefore also by him, amen to God, unto our glory.21 Now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath anointed us, is God:22 Who also hath sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.23 But I call God to witness upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not any more to Corinth: not because we exercise dominion over your faith: but we are helpers of your joy: for in 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