Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians
1
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,
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
planned this, did
I show fickleness? Or
the things that
I plan, do I plan
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 to spare
you, I didn’t
come to Corinth.
24 We don’t
control your faith,
but are fellow
workers with you
for your joy.
For you stand
firm in faith.