Praise to the God of All Comfort

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us^(B) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,^(C) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;^(D) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,^(E) so also you share in our comfort.

⁸ We do not want you to be uninformed,^(F) brothers and sisters,^[a] about the troubles we experienced^(G) in the province of Asia.^(H) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,^(I) who raises the dead.^{(J) 10} He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,^(K) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope^(L) that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers.^(M) Then many will give thanks^(N) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.