1
Paul, an apostle of {Christa Jesus}b by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, together 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 is 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 so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also through Christ our comfort abounds.
6 Whether we are afflicted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; Whether we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement which is at work in the endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer. [[Whether we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement and salvation.]]c 7 And our hope for you is firm, knowing that as you are sharers of the sufferings, so also of the encouragement.d
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning our affliction that happened [[to us]]e in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. 9 But we ourselves have held the sentence of death within us, so that we might not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us; in him we have placed our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you also help together by prayer for us, so that the gift to us by means of many persons may be thankfully acknowledged by many on our behalf.
12 For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, [and]f not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you. 13 For we write no other things to you than what you read or also recognize; and I hope that you will recognize them fully [[even]]g until the end, 14 Just as you also recognized us in part, that we are your boast, just as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord [our]h Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, so that you might have a second grace, 16 and through you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent on my way to Judea by you.
17 Therefore, when I was {desiring}i this, did I use lightness? Or do I plan according to the flesh, so that with me there should be “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? 18 But as God is faithful, that our word to you {is not}j “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him has been “Yes.” 20 For all the promises of God in him are “Yes”; therefore also {through}k him is the “Amen” to the glory of God through us.
21 Now the one who establishes us together with you in Christ and anointedl us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.