2 Corinthians 1

1 Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will, and the brother Timotheus, to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

2 Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.

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 compassions, and God of all encouragement;

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who encourages us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to encourage those who are in any tribulation whatever, through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged of God.

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we can comfort those experiencing any kind of affliction with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

5 Because, even as the sufferings of the Christ abound towards us, so through the Christ does our encouragement also abound.

For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

6 But whether we are in tribulation, [it is] for your encouragement and salvation, wrought in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer,

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, which helps you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is steadfast. If we are comforted, it is also for your comfort and salvation,

7 (and our hope for you [is] sure; ) or whether we are encouraged, [it is] for your encouragement and salvation: knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the encouragement.

because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8 For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened [to us] in Asia, that we were excessively pressed beyond [our] power, so as to despair even of living.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

9 But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But this happened so that we would not rely on ourselves, but on God, who raises the dead.

10 who has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver;

He rescued us from such a terrible death, and continues to rescue us. We have put our hope in him that he will rescue us yet again

11 ye also labouring together by supplication for us that the gift towards us, through means of many persons, may be the subject of the thanksgiving of many for us.

as you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on your behalf for the favor granted to us through the prayers of many.

12 For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity before God, (not in fleshly wisdom but in God's grace, ) we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly towards you.

Now this is the reason for our confidence: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with integrity and godly sincerity, not by worldly wisdom, but by the grace of God.

13 For we do not write other things to you but what ye well know and recognise; and I hope that ye will recognise to the end,

For we are not writing anything to you other than what you can read and understand. And I hope that you will understand completely—

14 even as also ye have recognised us in part, that we are your boast, even as ye [are] ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

just as you have understood us in part—that on the day of the Lord Jesus you will be proud of us just as we will be proud of you.

15 And with this confidence I purposed to come to you previously, that ye might have a second favour;

Because I was confident of this, I intended to come to you first, so that you would be blessed by a second visit.

16 and to pass through to Macedonia by you, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be set forward by you to Judaea.

I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and return to you from Macedonia, and then have you send me on my way to Judea.

17 Having therefore this purpose, did I then use lightness? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to flesh, that there should be with me yea yea, and nay nay?

Was I vacillating when I planned to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner, ready to say “Yes” and “No” at the same time?

18 Now God [is] faithful, that our word to you is not yea and nay.

As surely as God is faithful, our message to you did not waver between “Yes” and “No.”

19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom Silvanus, Timothy, and I preached among you, did not waver between “Yes” and “No.” On the contrary, in him God's answer has always been “Yes.”

20 For whatever promises of God [there are], in him is the yea, and in him the amen, for glory to God by us.

For in him every one of God's promises is “Yes,” and in him we say “Amen” to the glory of God.

21 Now he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, [is] God,

Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and who anointed us.

22 who also has sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

He has also sealed us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

23 But I call God to witness upon my soul that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.

I call upon God as a witness against me, that the reason I did not return to Corinth was to spare you.

24 Not that we rule over your faith, but are fellow-workmen of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Not that we rule over your faith; rather, we work with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.