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.
Paul, an apostle of Meshikha Yeshua through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
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 and the Lord Yeshua Meshikha.
3 Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the compassionate Father and the God of all comfort.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Meshikha, the Father of mercies and 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 comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 The more we share in Christ's sufferings, the more we receive the abundant comfort of Christ.
For as the sufferings of Meshikha abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Meshikha.
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.
But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
7 We have great confidence in you, knowing that as you share in our sufferings you also share in our comfort.
Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the 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.
For we do not desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.
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.
Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
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.
who delivered us out of so great a death, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will also deliver us again;
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.
you also helping together on our behalf by your petition; that, for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.
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 our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward 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 we write no other things to you, than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will fully acknowledge;
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 also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Yeshua.
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,
In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit;
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.
and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Yehuda.
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?
When I therefore was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the "Yes, yes" and the "No, no?"
18 Just as God can be trusted, when we give you our word it's not both Yes and No.
But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not "Yes and 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 the Son of God, Yeshua Meshikha, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "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 they are "Amen," to the glory of God through us.
21 God has given both us and you the inner strength to stand firm in Christ. God has appointed us,
Now he who establishes us with you in Meshikha, and anointed us, is God;
22 placed his stamp of approval on us, and given us the guarantee of the Spirit to convince us.
who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Rukha in our hearts.
23 I call God as my witness that it was to avoid causing you pain that I chose not to come to Corinth.
But I call God as a witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again 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 we rule over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.
