2 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:

This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the will of God, and from Timothy, our brother. It is sent to the church of God in Corinth, together with all of God's people throughout Achaia.

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

May you have grace 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,

Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the compassionate Father and the 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.

He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those who are also in trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

The more we share in Christ's sufferings, the more we receive the abundant comfort of 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.

If we are in distress, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are being comforted, it is for your comfort, which results in you patiently bearing the same sufferings that we suffer.

7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.

We have great confidence in you, knowing that as you share in our sufferings you also share in our 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.

Brothers and sisters, we won't keep you in the dark about the trouble we had in Asia. We were so overwhelmed that we were afraid we wouldn't have the strength to continue—so much so we doubted we would live through it.

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,

In fact it was like a death sentence inside us. This was to stop us relying on ourselves and to trust 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,

He saved us from a terrible death, and he will do so again. We have total confidence in God that he will continue to save 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.

You help us by praying for us. In this way many will thank God for us because of the blessing that God will give us in response to the prayers of many.

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.

We take pride in the fact—and our conscience confirms it—that we have acted properly towards people, and especially to you. We have followed God's principles of holiness and sincerity, not according to worldly wisdom but through the grace of God.

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—

For we are not writing anything complicated that you can't read and understand. I hope you'll understand in 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.

even if you only understand part of it now, so that when the Lord comes you will be proud of us, just as we are of you.

15 In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,

Because I was so sure of your confidence in me I planned to come and visit you first. That way you could have benefited twice,

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.

as I would go on from you to Macedonia, and then return from Macedonia to you. Then I would have had you send me on my way 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?”

Why did I change my original plan? Do you think I make my decisions lightly? Do you think that when I plan I'm like some worldly person who says Yes and No at the same time?

18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”

Just as God can be trusted, when we give you our word it's not both 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.”

The truth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was announced to you by us—me, Silvanus, and Timothy—and it wasn't both Yes and No. In Christ the answer is absolutely 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.

However, many promises God has made, in Christ the answer is always Yes. Through him we respond, saying Yes to the glory of God.

21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,

God has given both us and you the inner strength to stand firm in Christ. God has appointed us,

22 who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

placed his stamp of approval on us, and given us the guarantee of the Spirit to convince us.

23 But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.

I call God as my witness that it was to avoid causing you pain that I chose not to 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.

This isn't because we want to dictate how you relate to God, but because we want to help you have a joyful experience—for it's by trusting God that you stand firm.