2 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be 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 affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.8 For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers,t concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia,that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.9 Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;11 you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.13 For we write no other things to you, than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end;14 as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.15 In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit;16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.17 When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.”
20 For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen,” to the glory of God through us.
21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;22 who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.23 But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn’t come to Corinth to spare you.
24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.
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
