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

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

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Sovereign 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.

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement,

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 encourages us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in whatever affliction, by means of the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.

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

Because just as the sufferings of the Christ flow over into us, so also our encouraging overflows, through Christ.

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.

Now then, if we are afflicted, it is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, that are effective for enduring the same sufferings that we also are suffering

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

(yes, our hope concerning you is steadfast); if we are encouraged, it also is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, since we know that you will share in the encouragement just as you do in the sufferings.

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.

And so, brothers, we do not want you to be in ignorance concerning the affliction that came upon us in Asia: we were under extreme pressure, beyond our strength, so 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, so that we not place confidence in ourselves, but in the 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.

He did deliver us from that deadly peril, and still delivers; in whom we trust that He will keep on delivering,

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 adding your cooperation in prayer, on our behalf; that thanks may be given by many persons for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, on your 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.

Now this is our boast: the testimony of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world with openness and godly sincerity, not by fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and especially 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 do not write you any other things than what you can read and understand; and I do hope that you will keep on understanding to the 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 indeed some of you have acknowledged) that we are your boast, just as you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

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,

It was in this confidence that I was planning to come by you first,

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 proceed into Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia (that you might benefit twice), and then to be sent by you 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?

Now then, when I was deciding this, I was not acting frivolously, was I? Or the things I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, so that with me there would be both “Yes, yes” and “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, our word to you was 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!

because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No”. In fact, with Him it has always been “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.

because all the promises of God in Him are “Yes”; indeed, in Him they are “Amen”, that there be glory to 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 together with you into Christ, and who 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 Spirit 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.

For my part, I call on God as witness, upon my soul, that it was to spare you that I have not yet returned 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 have control over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for it is by faith that you stand firm.)