2 Corinthians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God, and Timothy the brother, —unto the assembly of God which is in Corinth, together with all the saints who are in the whole of 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 Favour unto you, and peace, from God [our] Father, and Lord Jesus Christ.

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

3 Blessed, be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement,

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

4 Who encourageth us in all our tribulation, to the end we may be able to encourage them who are in any tribulation—through means of the encouragement wherewith we, ourselves, are encouraged by 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 Because, even as the sufferings of the Christ overflow unto us, so, through the Christ, overfloweth, our encouragement also.

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

6 But, whether we are in tribulation, it is for your encouragement and salvation; whether we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which worketh inwardly by the endurance of the same sufferings which, we also, 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 And so, our hope, is sure in your behalf, —knowing that, —as ye are sharers of the sufferings, so, also of the encouragement.

(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 For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened in Asia, —that, exceedingly, beyond power, were we weighed down, so that we despaired, even of life.

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 But, we ourselves, within ourselves, have had the sentence of death, that we might not rest our confidence upon ourselves, but upon God, who raiseth 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 Who, out of so great a death, rescued us, and will rescue, —unto whom we have turned our hope, [that], even yet, he will rescue:

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

11 Ye also labouring together on our behalf, by your supplication, that, unto many persons, being due the gift of favour, unto us, through means of many, might thanks be given in our behalf.

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 For, our boasting, is, this, —the witness of our conscience, that, in sanctity and sincerity of God, [and] not in fleshly wisdom, but in God’s favour, have we behaved ourselves in the world, —and more abundantly towards you.

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, no other things, are we writing unto you, than what ye are either reading or even acknowledging, —I hope, moreover, that, throughout, ye will acknowledge,

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 According as ye have also acknowledged us, in part, —that, your theme of boasting, we are, even indeed as, ye, also [shall be], ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

(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 And, in this confidence, I purposed, before, to come unto you, —in order that, a second joy, ye might have, —

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

16 And, by your means, to pass into Macedonia, and, again, from Macedonia, to come unto you, and, by you, be set forward unto 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 This, then, being my purpose, perhaps, after all, with lightness, I dealt [with the matter]? or, the things that I purpose, according to the flesh, I purpose, —that, with me, should be the Yea, yea, and the Nay, nay?

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 Faithful, however, is God, in that, our discourse, which was [delivered] unto you, is not Yea and Nay;

As God is faithful, our word to you was not “Yes” and “No”,

19 For, the Son of God, Christ Jesus—who, among you, through us, was proclaimed, —through me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, became not Yea and Nay, —but Yea, in him, hath it become;

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 For, how many soever be the promises of God, in him, is the Yea, —wherefore also, through him, [be] the Amen, unto God, for glory, through us.

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 Now, he that confirmeth us, together with you, for Christ, and hath anointed us, is God:

Now He who establishes us together with you into Christ, and who anointed us, is God,

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

who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

23 But, I, call upon God, as a witness, against my own soul, —that, to spare you, not yet, have I come unto 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 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are, helpers, of your joy, for, by your faith, ye stand.

(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.)