Book of Common Prayer

The consolation of God in trouble. The love of Paul toward the Corinthians, and his reason for not going to them earlier.

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy.

To the congregation of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia. ² Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, insomuch that we are able to comfort others who are troubled, in whatsoever tribulation it may be, with the same comfort that we ourselves are comforted with by God. ⁵ For as the afflictions of Christ are plentiful in us, so also is our consolation plentiful by Christ.

⁶ Whether we are troubled regarding your consolation and salvation, which salvation shows her power in that you suffer the same afflictions that we also suffer, or whether we are comforted regarding your consolation and salvation, ⁷ yet our hope is steadfast for you, inasmuch as we know that as you have your part in afflictions, so shall you be partakers of consolation.

⁸ Brethren, I would not have you unaware of the trouble that happened to us in Asia. For we were grieved out of measure passing strength, so greatly that we despaired even of life. ⁹ Also, we received an answer of death in ourselves, and that because we should not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead to life again, ¹⁰ and who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver. On whom we trust that yet hereafter he will deliver, ¹¹ by the help of your prayer for us, so that by reason of many deliverances thanks may be given by many for us, for the grace given to us.

²⁵ A great number of people went with Jesus, and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ If a person comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife, and children, and brethren and sisters, and moreover his own life, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ Which of you, thinking of building a tower, would not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to complete it?– ²⁹ lest after he has laid the foundation and is not able to complete it, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish it. ³¹ Or, what king goes to make battle against another king, and does not sit down first and cast in his mind whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000? ³² If not, while the other is yet a great way off, he will send ambassadors and seek peace. ³³ So now then, none of you who will not renounce all that he has can be my disciple.

³⁴ Salt is good. But if salt has lost her saltness, what can be seasoned with it? ³⁵ It is neither good for the land, nor yet for the dunghill, but men cast it out at the doors. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.