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.