2 Corinthians 1
1 Pavl an Apostle of JESVS Christ, by the will of God, and our brother Timotheus, to the Church of God, which is at Corinthus with all the Saints, which are in all Achaia:
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.
2 Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.
May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort,
Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the compassionate Father and the God of all comfort.
4 Which comforteth vs in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God.
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.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abounde in vs, so our consolation aboundeth through Christ.
The more we share in Christ's sufferings, the more we receive the abundant comfort of Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and saluation, which is wrought in the induring of the same sufferings, which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and saluation.
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.
7 And our hope is stedfast concerning you, in as much as we know that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
We have great confidence in you, knowing that as you share in our sufferings you also share in our comfort.
8 For brethren, we woulde not haue you ignorant of our affliction, which came vnto vs in Asia, howe we were pressed out of measure passing strength, so that we altogether doubted, euen of life.
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.
9 Yea, we receiued the sentence of death in our selues, because we shoulde not trust in our selues, but in God, which rayseth the dead.
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.
10 Who deliuered vs from so great a death, and doeth deliuer vs: in whom we trust, that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs,
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.
11 So that ye labour together in prayer for vs, that for the gift bestowed vpon vs for many, thankes may be giuen by many persons for vs.
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.
12 For our reioycing is this, the testimonie of our conscience, that in simplicitie and godly purenesse, and not in fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God wee haue had our conuersation in the worlde, and most of all to you wardes.
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.
13 For wee write none other thinges vnto you, then that ye reade or els that ye acknowledge, and I trust ye shall acknowledge vnto ye end.
For we are not writing anything complicated that you can't read and understand. I hope you'll understand in the end,
14 Euen as ye haue acknowledged vs partly, that we are your reioycing, euen as ye are ours, in the day of our Lord Iesus.
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.
15 And in this confidence was I minded first to come vnto you, that ye might haue had a double grace,
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,
16 And to passe by you into Macedonia, and to come againe out of Macedonia vnto you, and to be led foorth towarde Iudea of you.
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.
17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I vse lightnesse? or minde I those thinges which I minde, according to the flesh, that with me should be, Yea, yea, and Nay, nay?
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?
18 Yea, God is faithfull, that our worde towarde you was not Yea, and Nay.
Just as God can be trusted, when we give you our word it's not both Yes and No.
19 For the Sonne of God Iesus Christ, who was preached among you by vs, that is, by me, and Siluanus, and Timotheus, was not Yea, and Nay: but in him it was Yea.
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!
20 For all the promises of God in him are Yea, and are in him Amen, vnto the glorie of God through vs.
However, many promises God has made, in Christ the answer is always Yes. Through him we respond, saying Yes to the glory of God.
21 And it is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ, and hath anoynted vs.
God has given both us and you the inner strength to stand firm in Christ. God has appointed us,
22 Who hath also sealed vs, and hath giuen the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
placed his stamp of approval on us, and given us the guarantee of the Spirit to convince us.
23 Nowe, I call God for a recorde vnto my soule, that to spare you, I came not as yet vnto Corinthus.
I call God as my witness that it was to avoid causing you pain that I chose not to come to Corinth.
24 Not that wee haue dominion ouer your faith, but wee are helpers of your ioy: for by faith yee stande.
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.
