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:

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, and to all the believers in the entire region of Achaia.

2 Grace unto you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

May grace be 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 the God of all comfort.

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised. He is 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.

God comforts us in all our affliction, so that we can comfort those who are in any affliction. We comfort others with the same comfort that God used to comfort us.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us: so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.

For just as the sufferings of Christ abound for our sake, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

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.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort. Your comfort is working effectively when you patiently share in the same sufferings that 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.

Our expectation concerning you is unshaken, for we know that as you share the sufferings, you also share our comfort.

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.

For we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the troubles we had in Asia. We were so completely crushed beyond our strength that we despaired 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.

Indeed, we had the sentence of death on us. But that was to make us not put our trust in ourselves, but instead in God, who raises 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.

He rescued us from such a deadly peril, and he will rescue us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to 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.

He will do this as you also help us by your prayer. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor given to us through the prayers of many.

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.

We are proud of this: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with holiness and godly sincerity, not relying on fleshly wisdom but on the grace of God.

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:

We write to you nothing that you cannot read and understand. I expect that,

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.

as you have understood us in part, we will be your reason for boasting on the day of our Lord Jesus, just as you will be our reason to boast.

15 And in this confidence I had a mind to come to you before, that you might have a second grace:

Because I was confident about this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might receive the benefit of two visits.

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.

I was planning to visit you on my way to Macedonia. Then I wanted to visit you again on my trip from Macedonia, and then for you to send me on my way to 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?

When I was thinking this way, was I hesitating? Do I plan things according to human standards, so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

18 But God is faithful, for our preaching which was to you, was not, It is, and It is not.

But just as God is faithful, we do not say both “Yes” and “No.”

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.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom Silvanus, Timothy and I proclaimed among you, is not “Yes” and “No.” Instead, he is always “Yes.”

20 For all the promises of God are in him, It is; therefore also by him, amen to God, unto our glory.

For all the promises of God are “Yes” in him. So also through him we say “Amen” to the glory of God.

21 Now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath anointed us, is God:

Now it is God who confirms us with you in Christ, and he appointed us,

22 Who also hath sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.

he set his seal on us and he gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee of what is to come.

23 But I call God to witness upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not any more to Corinth:

Instead, I call God to bear witness for me that the reason I did not come to Corinth was so that I might spare you.

24 not because we exercise dominion over your faith: but we are helpers of your joy: for in faith you stand.

This is not because we are trying to control what your faith should be. Instead, we are working with you for your joy, as you stand in your faith.