2 Corinthians 1
1 [I], Paul, who [write this letter to you], became an apostle of Christ Jesus because God chose me for that. [Timothy, our] fellow believer, [is with me. I am sending this letter] to you who are God’s people in the congregations in Corinth [city. I want] the believers who live in [other places] in Achaia [province to also read this letter].
PAUL a legate of Jesus the Messiah, by the good pleasure of God; and Timothy a brother; to the church of God that is at Corinth, and to all the saints that are in all Achaia.
2 [We(exc) desire] that you will [experience] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [acting] kindly toward you and causing you to have [inner] peace.
Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
3 [We should] praise God, who is the father of our [(inc)] Lord Jesus Christ. He always pities us and helps us [because he is like] [MET] a father to us [and we are like his children]. He always encourages us [(inc)].
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation;
4 He has encouraged us [(exc)] whenever we suffered hardships. As a result, we [(exc)] are able to encourage others whenever they suffer hardships, just as/just like God has encouraged us [(exc)].
who comforteth us in all our afflictions, that we also might be able to comfort those who are in all afflictions, with the consolation wherewith we are comforted by God.
5 It is true that just like Christ suffered, we [who serve him] also continually suffer [because we belong to him]. But also, because we [belong to] Christ, God greatly strengthens us (just as/just like) [God strengthened him].
For, as the sufferings of the Messiah abound in us, so also our consolation aboundeth by the Messiah.
6 So, whenever we [(exc)] experience sufferings, we [learn how to encourage] you [when you experience sufferings. As a result, you will become more and more the kind of people God] wants you to be. Whenever [God] strengthens us [(exc) when we are suffering, he] does that in order that you [may see how he makes us strong when we are suffering. Then, as God] encourages [you in that way], you will learn to continue patiently [trusting him] when you suffer as we do.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and for your life that we are afflicted; or whether we be comforted, it is, that ye may be comforted; and that there may be in you an eagerness, wherewith ye may endure those sufferings which we also suffer.
7 As a result, we [(exc)] strongly expect that because you suffer just as/just like we do, [God] will encourage you (just as/just like) [he] encourages us.
And our hope concerning you is steadfast: for we know, that if ye partake of the sufferings, ye will also partake of the consolation.
8 [Our] fellow believers, we [(exc)] want you to know [LIT] about the trouble that we suffered in Asia [province]. That trouble was so very great that it was much more than we were able to endure. As a result, we [(exc)] thought that we would certainly die.
But, my brethren, we wish you to know, respecting the affliction that was upon us in Asia, that we were afflicted exceedingly, beyond our strength, insomuch that our life was ready to terminate.
9 Indeed, we felt [like a person feels when he has heard a judge say], “I condemn you to die/be executed [MET].” But [God allowed us to think that we were going to die] so that we would not (rely on/trust in) our own [strength. He wanted us] instead [to rely] only on his [strength, because he] is the one who [has power even to make] those who have died live [again].
And we passed a sentence of death upon ourselves, that our confidence might not be in ourselves, but in God, who raiseth up the dead;
10 And [even though] we [(exc)] were [in terrible danger and were] about to die, God rescued us. And he will continue to rescue us [whenever we are in trouble]. We confidently expect that he will continue to rescue us [time after time].
who rescued us from imminent death: and we hope that he will again rescue us,
11 [And we are also relying on] you to help us by praying for us [(exc)]. [If many people pray for us], many people will also thank [God] when [he] kindly answers those many prayers [and delivers us from danger].
by the aid of your prayers in our behalf; so that his gift to us may be a favor done for the sake of many, and many may praise him on our account.
12 I am happy [to say] that I have behaved toward all people [MTY] in an honest and sincere way. My conscience assures me [that this is true]. Especially, I have behaved toward you [honestly and sincerely because that is what] God wants us to do. As I have done that, [my thoughts] have not been the thoughts that unbelieving people [MTY] [think are] wise. Instead, [I have behaved toward people only as God wants me to, depending on] God to help me in ways that I do not deserve.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and purity, and by the grace of God, and not in the wisdom of the flesh, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially towards you.
13 [I say that] because [in all my letters to you] I have always written [LIT] clearly in a way that you can easily and completely understand [when you] read them.
We write no other things unto you, than those which ye know and acknowledge. And I trust, ye will acknowledge them to the end:
14 [Previously some of] you, but not all of you, have completely understood [that I am always honest and sincere with you]. But I confidently expect that [soon] you will all be fully convinced [about that]. Then when the Lord Jesus [MTY] [returns, you will all be able to say that] you are pleased with me, just like I will [be able to say that] I am pleased with you.
as ye have also partially acknowledged that we are your rejoicing, as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
15 It was because I felt sure [that all of you were pleased with me] that I was planning to visit you on my way from [here] to Macedonia [province]. I also planned to visit you again on my way back from there, so that I could [spend time with you] twice, and be able to help you more, and I was hoping that you would [give me things that I needed] [EUP] for my journey to Judea [province].
And in this confidence, I was before disposed to come to you, that ye might receive the grace doubly;
and to pass by you into Macedonia, and again to come to you from Macedonia, and so ye would accompany me to Judaea.
17 So then, even though I [changed my mind later and did not do what] I [first] planned to do, [it was not because I did not have an important reason for changing my plans]. Surely you do not [really think] that I decide what I am going to do like people who do not know God do! [RHQ] I am [not like that]. I am not [a person who] says [to people], “Yes, [certainly I will do that],” and then [for no good reason changes his mind and says], “No, [I will not do it].”
When therefore I thus purposed, did I purpose as one inconsiderate? Or, were the things I purposed, things of the flesh; so that there should be in them Yes, yes, and No, no?
18 Just as surely as God always does what he says [he will do, it is true that I have never said], “Yes, [I will do this]” when I [really meant] “No.”
God is the witness, that our word to you was not Yes and No.
19 [I follow the example of] God’s Son, Jesus Christ. When I, along with Silas and Timothy, taught you [about Christ], we told you that he was not [someone who said that he] would do [something] and [then] did not [do it]. Jesus Christ never [said to anyone], “Yes, [I will do what you desire],” and [then did] not [do it].
For the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah, who was preached to you by us, namely, by me, by Sylvanus, and by Timotheus, was not Yes and No; but it was Yes in him.
20 [We(inc) know that is true], because everything that God promised to do [for his people], he has done completely by [sending] Christ [to save us]. That is why we say, “Yes, it is true! [God has done everything that he promised to do]!” And we praise him for that!
For all the promises of God in him, the Messiah, are Yes; for which cause, we through him give our Amen, to the glory of God.
21 Now it is only God himself who causes us [(exc)], as well as you, to keep on [believing] strongly in Christ. God is the one who chose us [(inc) to belong to him and to have a close relationship] with Christ.
Now it is God who establisheth us, with you, in the Messiah, and hath anointed us,
22 He also sent his Holy Spirit into our [(inc)] lives to mark us as belonging to himself [MET]. Also, since he has sent his Spirit to live in us [(inc)], [he wants us to know by this that] he guarantees [MET] [to give us every other] ([blessing/good thing]) [that he has promised].
and hath sealed us, and hath given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts.
23 So now [I will tell you why I changed my mind and did not visit you as I intended to do]: God himself knows [that what I am telling you is true]. The reason that I did not return to Corinth was so that I might not have to [speak to you severely about the wrong that you had done].
Moreover, I call God for a witness on my soul, that it was in order to spare you, that I came not to Corinth.
24 It is not that Silas, Timothy and I want to boss you [and tell you that you must] believe only what we say. [Not at all]! On the contrary, we [(exc)] are working as partners [with you] in order to make you happy. [We do not try to force you to believe everything that we believe, because we are sure that you are continuing to] trust [the Lord Jesus Christ] and that you are remaining firmly committed to him.
Not that we are lords over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy; for it is by faith ye stand.
