2 Corinthians 1

1 This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the will of God, and from Timothy, our brother. It is sent to the church of God in Corinth, together with all of God's people throughout Achaia.

To the Church of God which is in Corinth, and to all the saints throughout Greece. from Paul, by God’s will an apostle of Christ, and from brother Timothy.

2 May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father in the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the compassionate Father and the God of all comfort.

Thanks be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort,

4 He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those who are also in trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

who ever comforts me in all my troubles, so that I may be continually able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort with which God is ever comforting me.

5 The more we share in Christ's sufferings, the more we receive the abundant comfort of Christ.

For just as I have more than my share in the sufferings of the Christ, so also through the Christ I have more than my share of comfort.

6 If we are in distress, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are being comforted, it is for your comfort, which results in you patiently bearing the same sufferings that we suffer.

If I am afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if I am receiving comfort, it is for your comfort - a comfort produced within you by your patient fortitude, under the same sufferings which I also am enduring.

7 We have great confidence in you, knowing that as you share in our sufferings you also share in our comfort.

My hope for you is firm; for I know that as you are comrades in my sufferings, so also are you comrades in my comfort.

8 Brothers and sisters, we won't keep you in the dark about the trouble we had in Asia. We were so overwhelmed that we were afraid we wouldn't have the strength to continue—so much so we doubted we would live through it.

Now, brothers, I want you to know about the troubles which befell me in Asia; how I was burdened altogether beyond my strength, so that I renounced all hope even of life itself.

9 In fact it was like a death sentence inside us. This was to stop us relying on ourselves and to trust in God who raises the dead.

Indeed, I had in myself, and still have, the sentence of death, in order that I might not rely on myself, but on God who raises the dead to life.

10 He saved us from a terrible death, and he will do so again. We have total confidence in God that he will continue to save us.

He delivered me from such a death, and will deliver me. On him I have set my hopes that he will continue to deliver me,

11 You help us by praying for us. In this way many will thank God for us because of the blessing that God will give us in response to the prayers of many.

while all of you also are helping me by your prayers; so that from many lips thanksgiving may rise on my behalf for the blessings vouchsafed to me through the intercessions of many.

12 We take pride in the fact—and our conscience confirms it—that we have acted properly towards people, and especially to you. We have followed God's principles of holiness and sincerity, not according to worldly wisdom but through the grace of God.

For this is my proud boast, the testimony of my conscience, that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God, that I have conducted myself in the world, and above all in my relations with you.

13 For we are not writing anything complicated that you can't read and understand. I hope you'll understand in the end,

For I am writing to you nothing different from what you read aloud and very well recognize, and I hope will continue to recognize to the very end,

14 even if you only understand part of it now, so that when the Lord comes you will be proud of us, just as we are of you.

as some indeed did recognize in part at last, that I am your cause of boasting, just as you will be mine on the Day of Jesus our Lord.

15 Because I was so sure of your confidence in me I planned to come and visit you first. That way you could have benefited twice,

And in this confidence I intended to visit you, before going elsewhere, that you might have a pleasure twice over.

16 as I would go on from you to Macedonia, and then return from Macedonia to you. Then I would have had you send me on my way to Judea.

I intended to go by you into Macedonia, and to come again to you from Macedonia, and by you to be sent forward on my way to Judea.

17 Why did I change my original plan? Do you think I make my decisions lightly? Do you think that when I plan I'm like some worldly person who says Yes and No at the same time?

In purposing this did I display "caprice"? Or what I purpose do I purpose in a worldly way, so that it may mean either "Yes, yes," or "No, no"?

18 Just as God can be trusted, when we give you our word it's not both Yes and No.

As God is faithful, my message to you is not now "Yes," now "No."

19 The truth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was announced to you by us—me, Silvanus, and Timothy—and it wasn't both Yes and No. In Christ the answer is absolutely Yes!

For Jesus Christ, Son of God, who was proclaimed among you by us, that is, by Silvanus and Timothy and me, was not wavering between "Yes" and "No," but in him is the everlasting "Yes."

20 However, many promises God has made, in Christ the answer is always Yes. Through him we respond, saying Yes to the glory of God.

For however many are the promises of God, in him they are "Yes." Therefore also through him let the Amen be said by our voices to the glory of God.

21 God has given both us and you the inner strength to stand firm in Christ. God has appointed us,

And he who has established me with you in the Anointed One, and has anointed me, is God.

22 placed his stamp of approval on us, and given us the guarantee of the Spirit to convince us.

He has also set his seal upon me, and given me the pledge of his Spirit in my heart.

23 I call God as my witness that it was to avoid causing you pain that I chose not to come to Corinth.

But for my part I call God to witness, as my soul shall answer for it, that it was to spare you that I came not to Corinth

24 This isn't because we want to dictate how you relate to God, but because we want to help you have a joyful experience—for it's by trusting God that you stand firm.

(not that I am attempting to lord it over your faith, but rather to work with you for your happiness); for your faith is stedfast.