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2 Corinthians 1
World English Bible

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. 7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort. 8 For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers,[a] concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; 11 you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you. 13 For we write no other things to you than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end, 14 as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

15 In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit, 16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea. 17 When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?” 18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.” 20 For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.

21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

23 But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn’t come to Corinth to spare you. 24 We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

Footnotes

  1. 1:8 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
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2 Corinthians 1
International Standard Version

Paul Greets the Church in Corinth

1 From:[a] Paul, an apostle of the Messiah[b] Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.

To: God’s church in Corinth, and to all the holy people[c] throughout Achaia.

2 May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[d] be yours!

The God of All Comfort

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah![e] He is our merciful Father and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our suffering, so that we may be able to comfort others in all their suffering, as we ourselves are being comforted by God. 5 For as the Messiah’s[f] sufferings overflow into us, so also our comfort overflows through the Messiah.[g] 6 If we suffer, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are suffering. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, because we know that as you share our sufferings, you also share our comfort.

How God Rescued Paul

8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about the suffering we experienced in Asia. We were so crushed beyond our ability to endure that we even despaired of living. 9 In fact, we felt that we had received a death sentence so we would not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has rescued us from a terrible death, and he will continue to rescue us. Yes, he is the one on whom we have set our hope, and he will rescue us again, 11 as you also help us by your prayers for us. Then many people will thank God[h] on our behalf because of the favor shown us through the prayers of many.

Paul’s Reason for Boasting

12 For this is what we boast about: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with pure motives and godly sincerity, without earthly wisdom but with God’s grace—especially toward you. 13 For what we are writing you is nothing more than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely, 14 just as you have already understood us partially, so that on the Day of our[i] Lord Jesus we can be your reason to boast, even as you are ours.

Why Paul’s Visit Was Postponed

15 Because I was confident, I planned to come to you first so you might receive a double blessing. 16 I planned to leave you in order to go[j] to Macedonia, and then come back to you from Macedonia, and let you send me on to Judea.

17 When I planned this, I did not do it lightly, did I? Are my plans so fickle[k] that I can say “Yes” and “No”[l] at the same time? 18 As certainly as God is faithful, we haven’t talked to you with mixed messages like that.[m] 19 For God’s Son, Jesus the Messiah,[n] who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No.” But with him it is always “Yes.” 20 For all God’s promises are “Yes” in him. And so through him we can say “Amen,”[o] to the glory of God. 21 Now the one who makes us—and you as well—secure in union with the Messiah[p] and has anointed us is God, 22 who has placed his seal on us and has given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

23 I call upon God as a witness on my behalf that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. 24 It is not that we are trying to rule over your faith, but rather to work with you for your joy, because you have been standing firm in the faith.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:1 The Gk. lacks From
  2. 2 Corinthians 1:1 Or Christ
  3. 2 Corinthians 1:1 Or the saints
  4. 2 Corinthians 1:2 Or Christ
  5. 2 Corinthians 1:3 Or Christ
  6. 2 Corinthians 1:5 Or Christ’s
  7. 2 Corinthians 1:5 Or Christ
  8. 2 Corinthians 1:11 The Gk. lacks God
  9. 2 Corinthians 1:14 Other mss. read the
  10. 2 Corinthians 1:16 Lit. To go through you
  11. 2 Corinthians 1:17 Lit. according to the flesh
  12. 2 Corinthians 1:17 Lit. “Yes, yes” and “No, no”
  13. 2 Corinthians 1:18 Lit. faithful, our word to you is not “Yes” and “No”
  14. 2 Corinthians 1:19 Or Christ
  15. 2 Corinthians 1:20 Lit. through him is the “Amen”
  16. 2 Corinthians 1:21 Or Christ
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1 Corinthians 16
2 Corinthians 2
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