2 Corinthians 1

1 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.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

2 May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

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

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 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.

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we can comfort those experiencing any kind of affliction with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

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

For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

6 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.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, which helps you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is steadfast. If we are comforted, it is also for your comfort and salvation,

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

because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8 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.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

9 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.

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But this happened so that we would not rely on ourselves, but on God, who raises the dead.

10 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.

He rescued us from such a terrible death, and continues to rescue us. We have put our hope in him that he will rescue us yet again

11 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.

as you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on your behalf for the favor granted to us through the prayers of many.

12 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.

Now this is the reason for our confidence: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with integrity and godly sincerity, not by worldly wisdom, but by the grace of God.

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

For we are not writing anything to you other than what you can read and understand. And I hope that you will understand completely—

14 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.

just as you have understood us in part—that on the day of the Lord Jesus you will be proud of us just as we will be proud of you.

15 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,

Because I was confident of this, I intended to come to you first, so that you would be blessed by a second visit.

16 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.

I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and return to you from Macedonia, and then have you send me on my way to Judea.

17 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?

Was I vacillating when I planned to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner, ready to say “Yes” and “No” at the same time?

18 Just as God can be trusted, when we give you our word it's not both Yes and No.

But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you did not waver between “Yes” and “No.”

19 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!

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom Silvanus, Timothy, and I preached among you, did not waver between “Yes” and “No.” On the contrary, in him God's answer has always been “Yes.”

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

For in him every one of God's promises is “Yes,” and in him we say “Amen” to the glory of God.

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

Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and who anointed us.

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

He has also sealed us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

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

But I call upon God as a witness against me, that the reason I did not return to Corinth was to spare you.

24 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.

Not that we rule over your faith; rather, we work with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.