2 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the congregation of God that is at Corinth, with all the sanctified who are in the whole of Achaia.
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God--and our brother Timothy: To the Church of God in Corinth, with all God's people throughout Greece.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May grace and peace be granted to you 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 encouragement,
Heartfelt thanks be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ--the Father who is full of compassion and the God who gives all comfort.
4 who encourages us in all our affliction, in order for us to be able to encourage those in every affliction, through the encouragement of which we ourselves are encouraged by God.
He comforts us in our every affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction by means of the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 Because, as the sufferings of the Christ abound to us, so also our encouragement abounds through the Christ.
For just as we have more than our share of suffering for the Christ, so also through the Christ we have more than our share of comfort.
6 But whether we are oppressed, it is for your encouragement and salvation, which works by endurance from the same sufferings that we also experience (and our hope for you is steadfast), or we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement and salvation,
But if, on the one hand, we are enduring affliction, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if, on the other hand, we are receiving comfort, it is for your comfort which is produced within you through your patient fortitude under the same sufferings as those which we also are enduring.
7 knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the encouragement.
And our hope for you is stedfast; for we know that as you are partners with us in the sufferings, so you are also partners in the comfort.
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about our affliction that happened to us in Asia, because we were extraordinarily weighed down, above strength, so as for us to despair even to be alive.
For as for our troubles which came upon us in the province of Asia, we would have you know, brethren, that we were exceedingly weighed down, and felt overwhelmed, so that we renounced all hope even of life.
9 But we ourselves have had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we should not be trusting in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.
Nay, we had, as we still have, the sentence of death within our own selves, in order that our confidence may repose, not on ourselves, but on God who raised the dead to life.
10 Who rescued us out of so great a death, and does rescue, in whom we have hoped that he will also still rescue.
He it is who rescued us from so imminent a death, and will do so again; and we have a firm hope in Him that He will also rescue us in all the future,
11 And of you who help together by supplication for us (a gift for us from many persons, because of many), so that there may be gratitude about you.
while you on your part lend us your aid in entreaty for us, so that from many lips thanksgivings may rise on our behalf for the boon granted to us at the intercession of many.
12 For our pride is this (the testimony from our conscience), that we behave in the world in the simplicity and purity of God, not by fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, and especially toward you.
For the reason for our boasting is this--the testimony of our own conscience that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, and in reliance not on worldly wisdom but on the gracious help of God, that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and above all in our relations with you.
13 For we write no other thing to you, but rather what ye read or also acknowledge. And I hope ye will also acknowledge until the end,
For we are writing to you nothing different from what we have written before, or from what indeed you already recognize as truth and will, I trust, recognize as such to the very end;
14 as also ye did acknowledge us in part, because we are your boast, just as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
just as some few of you have recognized us as your reason for boasting, even as you will be ours, on the day of Jesus our Lord.
15 And in this confidence I intended to come to you earlier, so that ye might have a second benefit,
It was because I entertained this confidence that I intended to visit you before going elsewhere--so that you might receive a twofold proof of God's favour--
16 and to pass through you into Macedonia, and to come again from Macedonia to you, and by you to be helped on the way toward Judea.
and to pass by way of Corinth into Macedonia. Then my plan was to return from Macedonia to you, and be helped forward by you to Judaea.
17 Therefore intending this, did I accordingly employ anything in lightness? Or what I decide, do I decide according to flesh, so that it would be with me the yes, yes and the no, no?
Did I display any vacillation or caprice in this? Or the purposes which I form--do I form them on worldly principles, now crying "Yes, yes," and now "No, no"?
18 But God is faithful, because our word toward you became not, yes and no.
As certainly as God is faithful, our language to you is not now "Yes" and now "No."
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ who was proclaimed among you by us (by me and Silvanus and Timothy) became not, yes and no, but in him has become, yes.
For Jesus Christ the Son of God--He who was proclaimed among you by us, that is by Silas and Timothy and myself--did not show Himself a waverer between "Yes" and "No." But it was and always is "Yes" with Him.
20 For as many as be promises of God, in him is the Yes, and in him the Truly, for glory to God through us.
For all the promises of God, whatever their number, have their confirmation in Him; and for this reason through Him also our "Amen" acknowledges their truth and promotes the glory of God through our faith.
21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and who anointed us, is God.
But He who is making us as well as you stedfast through union with the Anointed One, and has anointed us, is God,
22 He also is who put a seal on us, and who gave the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.
and He has also set His seal upon us, and has put His Spirit into our hearts as a pledge and foretaste of future blessing.
23 But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that I did not yet come to Corinth, sparing you.
But as for me, as my soul shall answer for it, I appeal to God as my witness, that it was to spare you pain that I gave up my visit to Corinth.
24 Not because we lord over your faith, but are co-workmen of your joy, for by faith ye stand.
Not that we want to lord it over you in respect of your faith--we do, however, desire to help your joy--for in the matter of your faith you are standing firm.
