Greeting

1 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)

² Grace to you and peace^(E) from God our Father^(F) and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The God of Comfort

³ Praise^(G) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies^(H) and the God of all comfort.^{(I) 4} 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. ⁵ For as the sufferings^(J) of Christ^(K) overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows.^{(L) 6} 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) 7} 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.

⁸ 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. ⁹ 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.

Our Future after Death

5 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling^[a](A) is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling^[b] in the heavens,^(B) not made with hands.^{(C) 2} Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring^(D) to put on our dwelling from heaven, ³ since, when we are clothed,^[c] we will not be found naked.^{(E) 4} Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality^(F) may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

⁶ So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we walk by faith,^(G) not by sight,^{(H) 8} and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.^{(I) 9} Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing^(J) to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the tribunal^(K) of Christ,^(L) so that each may be repaid^(M) for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.

¹¹ Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord,^(N) we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance^[d] rather than in the heart. ¹³ For if we are out of our mind,^(O) it is for God; if we have a sound mind,^(P) it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels^[e] us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all,^(Q) then all died. ¹⁵ And He died for all^(R) so that those who live should no longer live for themselves,^(S) but for the One^(T) who died for them and was raised.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹⁶ From now on, then, we do not know^[f] anyone in a purely human way.^[g] Even if we have known^[h] Christ in a purely human way,^[i] yet now we no longer know^[j] Him in this way. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;^(U) old things have passed away, and look,^(V) new things^[k] have come.^{(W) 18} Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:^{(X) 19} That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world^(Y) to Himself,^(Z) not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors^(AA) for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf,^(AB) “Be reconciled to God.” ²¹ He made the One who did not know sin^(AC) to be sin^[l] for us,^(AD) so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Greeting

1 Paul,^(A) an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:^(B)

To the faithful saints^(C) in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.^[a](D)

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Rich Blessings

³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.^{(E) 4} For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.^[b](F) In love^{[c] 5} He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, ⁶ to the praise of His glorious grace^(G) that He favored us with in the Beloved.^(H)

⁷ We have redemption in Him^(I) through His blood, the forgiveness^(J) of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹ He made known to us the mystery of His will,^(K) according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him^{(L) 10} for the administration^[d] of the days of fulfillment^[e]—to bring everything together in the Messiah,^(M) both things in heaven and things on earth^(N) in Him.^(O)

¹¹ We have also received an inheritance^[f] in Him, predestined^(P) according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, ¹² so that we who had already put our hope^(Q) in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.^(R)

¹³ When you heard the message of truth,^(S) the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.^{(T) 14} He is the down payment^(U) of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession,^[g] to the praise of His glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Insight

¹⁵ This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶ I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,^[h] would give you a spirit^[i](V) of wisdom and revelation^(W) in the knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that the perception of your mind^[j] may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope^(X) of His calling,^(Y) what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power^(Z) to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

God’s Power in Christ

²⁰ He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand^(AA) in the heavens^(AB)— ²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,^[k](AC) not only in this age but also in the one to come.^{(AD) 22} And He put everything under His feet^(AE)[l] and appointed Him as head^(AF) over everything for the church, ²³ which is His body,^(AG) the fullness^(AH) of the One who fills all things^(AI) in every way.