Greeting

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,(A) and Timothy(B) our[a] brother:

To God’s church at Corinth,(C) with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.(D)

Grace to you and peace(E) from God our Father(F) and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The God of Comfort

Praise(G) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies(H) and the God of all comfort.(I) He comforts us in all our affliction,[b] so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For as the sufferings(J) of Christ(K) overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows.(L) If we are afflicted,(M) it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in your endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.(N) And our hope(O) for you is firm, because we know that as you share(P) in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort.

For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia:(Q) we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength(R)—so that we even despaired(S) of life. Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God(T) who raises(U) the dead. 10 He has delivered(V) us from such a terrible death,(W) and He will deliver us. We have put our hope in Him that He will deliver us again 11 while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[c] behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

A Clear Conscience

12 For this is our confidence: The testimony(X) of our conscience(Y) is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly[d] wisdom(Z) but by God’s grace.(AA) 13 Now we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— 14 as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride,(AB) as you are ours,(AC) in the day of our[e] Lord Jesus.(AD)

A Visit Postponed

15 I planned with this confidence to come to you first,(AE) so you could have a double benefit,[f] 16 and to go on to Macedonia(AF) with your help, then come to you again from Macedonia and be given a start by you(AG) on my journey(AH) to Judea.(AI) 17 So when I planned this, was I irresponsible? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human[g](AJ) way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” simultaneously? 18 As God is faithful,(AK) our message to you is not “Yes and no.” 19 For the Son of God,(AL) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus[h](AM) and Timothy—did not become “Yes and no”; on the contrary, a final “Yes” has come in Him.(AN) 20 For every one of God’s promises(AO) is “Yes” in Him. Therefore, the “Amen”(AP) is also spoken through Him by us for God’s glory.(AQ) 21 Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed(AR) us. 22 He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment(AS) in our hearts.(AT)

23 I call on God as a witness,(AU) on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.(AV) 24 I do not mean that we have control of[i] your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand(AW) by faith.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:1 Lit the
  2. 2 Corinthians 1:4 Or trouble, or tribulation, or trials, or oppression; the Gk word has a lit meaning of being under pressure.
  3. 2 Corinthians 1:11 Other mss read your
  4. 2 Corinthians 1:12 The word fleshly (characterized by flesh) indicates that the wisdom is natural rather than spiritual.
  5. 2 Corinthians 1:14 Other mss omit our
  6. 2 Corinthians 1:15 Other mss read a second joy
  7. 2 Corinthians 1:17 Or a worldly, or a fleshly, or a selfish
  8. 2 Corinthians 1:19 Or Silas; Ac 15:22-32; 16:19-40; 17:1-16
  9. 2 Corinthians 1:24 Or we lord it over, or we rule over

Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and Timothy(C) our brother,

To the church of God(D) in Corinth,(E) together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:(F)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(G)

Praise to the God of All Comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(H) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us(I) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,(J) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;(K) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,(L) so also you share in our comfort.

We do not want you to be uninformed,(M) brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced(N) in the province of Asia.(O) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,(P) who raises the dead.(Q) 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,(R) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope(S) that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers.(T) Then many will give thanks(U) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Paul’s Change of Plans

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience(V) testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[b](W) and godly sincerity.(X) We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom(Y) but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.(Z)

15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you(AA) first so that you might benefit twice.(AB) 16 I wanted to visit you on my way(AC) to Macedonia(AD) and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way(AE) to Judea.(AF) 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner(AG) so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

18 But as surely as God is faithful,(AH) our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God,(AI) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[c](AJ) and Timothy(AK)—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always(AL) been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises(AM) God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen”(AN) is spoken by us to the glory of God.(AO) 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm(AP) in Christ. He anointed(AQ) us, 22 set his seal(AR) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(AS)

23 I call God as my witness(AT)—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you(AU) that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over(AV) your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.(AW)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:8 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 8:1; 13:11.
  2. 2 Corinthians 1:12 Many manuscripts holiness
  3. 2 Corinthians 1:19 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas