2 Corinthians 1:8-2:2

English Standard Version

⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[a] of ^(A)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 ^(B)rely not on ourselves ^(C)but on God ^(D)who raises the dead. ^10 (E)He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. ^(F)On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. ^11 (G)You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf ^(H)for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Paul's Change of Plans

¹² For our boast is this, ^(I)the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity^[b] and ^(J)godly sincerity, ^(K)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 ^(L)partially understand us—that ^(M)on the day of our Lord Jesus ^(N)you will boast of us as ^(O)we will boast of you.

¹⁵ Because I was sure of this, ^(P)I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have ^(Q)a second ^(R)experience of grace. ¹⁶ I wanted to visit you ^(S)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 ^(T)according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? ¹⁸ As surely as ^(U)God is faithful, ^(V)our word to you has not been Yes and No. ¹⁹ For ^(W)the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, ^(X)Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but ^(Y)in him it is always Yes. ²⁰ For ^(Z)all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our ^(AA)Amen to God for his glory. ²¹ And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and ^(AB)has anointed us, ²² and who has also ^(AC)put his seal on us and ^(AD)given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.^[c]

²³ But ^(AE)I call God to witness against me—it was ^(AF)to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we ^(AG)lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm ^(AH)in your faith.

2 For I made up my mind ^(AI)not to make another painful visit to you. ² For ^(AJ)if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?