2 Corinthians 1:5-17

English Standard Version

⁵ For as we share abundantly in ^(A)Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.^{[a] 6 (B)}If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. ⁷ Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you ^(C)share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[b] of ^(D)the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us ^(E)rely not on ourselves ^(F)but on God ^(G)who raises the dead. ^10 (H)He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. ^(I)On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. ^11 (J)You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf ^(K)for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Paul's Change of Plans

¹² For our boast is this, ^(L)the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity^[c] and ^(M)godly sincerity, ^(N)not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. ¹³ For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand— ¹⁴ just as you did ^(O)partially understand us—that ^(P)on the day of our Lord Jesus ^(Q)you will boast of us as ^(R)we will boast of you.

¹⁵ Because I was sure of this, ^(S)I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have ^(T)a second ^(U)experience of grace. ¹⁶ I wanted to visit you ^(V)on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans ^(W)according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?