Greeting

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

To the church of God 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

Blessed be(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 just as the sufferings(J) of Christ(K) overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.(L) If we are afflicted,(M) it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient 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 also share in the comfort.

We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, 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 itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, 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 Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony(X) of our conscience(Y) is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom(Z) but by God’s grace.(AA) 13 For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— 14 just as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride,(AB) just as you also are ours(AC) in the day of our[d] Lord Jesus.(AD)

A Visit Postponed

15 Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first,(AE) so that you could have a second benefit,[e] 16 and to visit you on my way to Macedonia,(AF) and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you(AG) on my journey(AH) to Judea.(AI) 17 Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human[f](AJ) way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As God is faithful,(AK) our message to you is not “Yes and no.” 19 For the Son of God,(AL) Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you—Silvanus,[g](AM) Timothy, and I—did not become “Yes and no.” On the contrary, in him it is always “Yes.”(AN) 20 For every one of God’s promises(AO) is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen”(AP) to the glory of God.(AQ) 21 Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed(AR) us. 22 He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts(AS) as a down payment.(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 lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your(AW) faith.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Lit the
  2. 1:4 Or trouble, or tribulation, or trials, or oppression
  3. 1:11 Other mss read your
  4. 1:14 Other mss omit our
  5. 1:15 Other mss read a second joy
  6. 1:17 Or a worldly, or a fleshly, or a selfish
  7. 1:19 Or Silas; Ac 15:22–32; 16:19–40; 17:1–16

Paul Paulos, an apostle apostolos of Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous by dia the will thelēma of God theos, and kai Timothy Timotheos our ho brother adelphos, to the ho church ekklēsia of ho God theos that ho is eimi at en Corinth Korinthos, with syn all pas the ho saints hagios who ho are eimi in en all holos · ho Achaia Achaia: Grace charis to you hymeis and kai peace eirēnē from apo God theos our hēmeis Father patēr and kai the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos.

Blessed eulogētos be the ho God theos and kai Father patēr of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, the ho Father patēr of ho mercies oiktirmos and kai God theos of all pas encouragement paraklēsis, who ho encourages parakaleō us hēmeis in epi all pas · ho our hēmeis troubles thlipsis, so that eis we hēmeis may be able dynamai to encourage parakaleō those ho experiencing en any pas trouble thlipsis with dia the ho encouragement paraklēsis with which hos we ourselves autos are encouraged parakaleō by hypo · ho God theos. For hoti just as kathōs the ho sufferings pathēma of ho Christ Christos overflow perisseuō to eis us hēmeis, so houtōs also kai does the ho encouragement paraklēsis we receive hēmeis through dia · ho Christ Christos overflow perisseuō. If eite · de we are distressed thlibō, it is for hyper · ho your hymeis encouragement paraklēsis and kai salvation sōtēria; if eite we are encouraged parakaleō, it is for hyper · ho your hymeis encouragement paraklēsis that ho you experience energeō in en your patient endurance hypomonē of the ho same autos sufferings pathēma that hos we hēmeis also kai suffer paschō. And kai · ho our hēmeis hope elpis for hyper you hymeis is firm bebaios, because we know oida that hoti as hōs you share in koinōnos our ho sufferings pathēma, so houtōs also kai you will share in our ho encouragement paraklēsis.

For gar we do not ou want thelō you hymeis to be unaware agnoeō, brothers adelphos, about hyper the ho affliction thlipsis we hēmeis · ho suffered ginomai in en · ho Asia Asia, that hoti we were burdened bareō excessively kata hyperbolē beyond hyper our power dynamis to cope, so that hōste we hēmeis despaired exaporeō even kai of ho living zaō. Indeed alla, we autos had echō the ho sentence apokrima of ho death thanatos within en ourselves heautou, that hina we should eimi no longer trust peithō in epi ourselves heautou, but alla in epi the ho God theos who ho raises egeirō the ho dead nekros. 10 He hos delivered rhyomai us hēmeis from ek so great tēlikoutos a risk of death thanatos and kai will deliver rhyomai us. On eis him hos we have set our hope elpizō that hoti he will deliver rhyomai us yet eti again kai, 11 as you hymeis also kai join in helping synypourgeō us hēmeis by ho prayer deēsis, so that hina thanks may be given eucharisteō by ek many polys people prosōpon on hyper our hēmeis behalf hyper for the ho gracious gift charisma granted to eis us hēmeis through dia the help of many polys.

12 · ho For gar our hēmeis confidence kauchēsis is eimi this houtos, the ho testimony martyrion of ho our hēmeis conscience syneidēsis, that hoti with en simplicity haplotēs and kai sincerity eilikrineia like that of ho God theos, and kai not ou with en earthly sarkikos wisdom sophia but alla by en the grace charis of God theos, we conducted anastrephō ourselves in en the ho world kosmos, and de all the more perissoterōs toward pros you hymeis. 13 Now gar we are graphō not ou writing graphō you hymeis anything allos other alla than ē what hos you can read anaginōskō and ē also kai understand epiginōskō. But de I hope elpizō that hoti you will understand epiginōskō fully heōs telos, 14 just as kathōs also kai you have understood epiginōskō us hēmeis partially apo meros, that hoti we are eimi your hymeis source of pride kauchēma, as kathaper you hymeis also kai are ours hēmeis, in en the ho day hēmera of the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous.

15 And kai because of this houtos · ho confidence pepoithēsis, I was intending boulomai to come erchomai to pros you hymeis first proteros, so that hina you might have echō a second deuteros benefit charis 16 · kai through dia your hymeis help, to go dierchomai on to eis Macedonia Makedonia, and kai from apo Macedonia Makedonia to come erchomai back palin to pros you hymeis and kai to be helped by hypo you hymeis on my way propempō to eis · ho Judea Ioudaia. 17 Therefore oun when I was planning boulomai this houtos, I was chraomai not mēti · ho capricious elaphria, was I? Or ē the hos things I plan bouleuō, do I plan bouleuō according kata to the flesh sarx, so that hina with para me egō it would be eimi · ho Yes nai, yes nai and kai · ho No ou, no ou” at the same time? 18 But de as surely as God theos is trustworthy pistos, · ho · ho our hēmeis word logos · ho to pros you hymeis has not ou been eimi Yes nai and kai No ou.” 19 For gar the ho Son hyios of ho God theos, Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, the ho one who was proclaimed kēryssō among en you hymeis by dia us hēmeis by dia me egō, · kai Silvanus Silouanos, and kai Timothy Timotheos was ginomai not ou Yes nai and kai No ou,” but alla in en him autos it has always been ginomai Yes nai.” 20 For gar all hosos the promises epangelia of God theos find their ho Yes nai in en him autos; and that is why dio · kai it is through dia him autos that we hēmeis say our ho Amen amēn to ho God theos for pros his glory doxa. 21 Now de God theos is the ho one who strengthens bebaioō us hēmeis, together with syn you hymeis, in eis Christ Christos, and kai has anointed chriō us hēmeis, 22 and who ho has also kai sealed sphragizō us hēmeis and kai given didōmi us his ho Spirit pneuma in en our hēmeis hearts kardia as ho a pledge arrabōn. · ho 23 I egō · de call epikaleō God theos as a witness martys · ho against epi · ho my emos soul psychē, that hoti it was to spare pheidomai you hymeis that I did erchomai not come erchomai again ouketi to eis Corinth Korinthos. 24 Not ou that hoti we are ruling kyrieuō over your hymeis · ho faith pistis, but alla we are eimi workers synergos with you for ho your hymeis joy chara; for gar by ho faith pistis you have stood histēmi firm .