< 2 Corinthians 1 >

1 [I], Paul, who [write this letter to you], became an apostle of Christ Jesus because God chose me for that. [Timothy, our] fellow believer, [is with me. I am sending this letter] to you who are God’s people in the congregations in Corinth [city. I want] the believers who live in [other places] in Achaia [province to also read this letter].
Παῦλος ἀπόστολος χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Κορίνθῳ σὺν τοῖς ἁγίοις πᾶσιν τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἀχαΐᾳ·
2 [We(exc) desire] that you will [experience] God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ [acting] kindly toward you and causing you to have [inner] peace.
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ.
3 [We should] praise God, who is the father of our [(inc)] Lord Jesus Christ. He always pities us and helps us [because he is like] [MET] a father to us [and we are like his children]. He always encourages us [(inc)].
Εὐλογητὸς ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ, ὁ πατὴρ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν καὶ θεὸς πάσης παρακλήσεως,
4 He has encouraged us [(exc)] whenever we suffered hardships. As a result, we [(exc)] are able to encourage others whenever they suffer hardships, just as/just like God has encouraged us [(exc)].
ὁ παρακαλῶν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι ἡμᾶς παρακαλεῖν τοὺς ἐν πάσῃ θλίψει διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως ἧς παρακαλούμεθα αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ·
5 It is true that just like Christ suffered, we [who serve him] also continually suffer [because we belong to him]. But also, because we [belong to] Christ, God greatly strengthens us (just as/just like) [God strengthened him].
ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὕτως διὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις ἡμῶν.
6 So, whenever we [(exc)] experience sufferings, we [learn how to encourage] you [when you experience sufferings. As a result, you will become more and more the kind of people God] wants you to be. Whenever [God] strengthens us [(exc) when we are suffering, he] does that in order that you [may see how he makes us strong when we are suffering. Then, as God] encourages [you in that way], you will learn to continue patiently [trusting him] when you suffer as we do.
εἴτε δὲ θλιβόμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας, τῆς ἐνεργουμένης ἐν ὑπομονῇ τῶν αὐτῶν παθημάτων ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάσχομεν, καὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς ἡμῶν βεβαία ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν· εἴτε παρακαλούμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας,
7 As a result, we [(exc)] strongly expect that because you suffer just as/just like we do, [God] will encourage you (just as/just like) [he] encourages us.
εἰδότες ὅτι ὡς κοινωνοί ἐστε τῶν παθημάτων, οὕτως καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως.
8 [Our] fellow believers, we [(exc)] want you to know [LIT] about the trouble that we suffered in Asia [province]. That trouble was so very great that it was much more than we were able to endure. As a result, we [(exc)] thought that we would certainly die.
οὐ γὰρ θέλομεν ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, περὶ τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν τῆς γενομένης ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, ὅτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἐβαρήθημεν, ὥστε ἐξαπορηθῆναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦ ζῆν·
9 Indeed, we felt [like a person feels when he has heard a judge say], “I condemn you to die/be executed [MET].” But [God allowed us to think that we were going to die] so that we would not (rely on/trust in) our own [strength. He wanted us] instead [to rely] only on his [strength, because he] is the one who [has power even to make] those who have died live [again].
ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου ἐσχήκαμεν, ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ τῷ ἐγείροντι τοὺς νεκρούς·
10 And [even though] we [(exc)] were [in terrible danger and were] about to die, God rescued us. And he will continue to rescue us [whenever we are in trouble]. We confidently expect that he will continue to rescue us [time after time].
ὃς ἐκ τηλικούτου θανάτου ἐρύσατο ἡμᾶς καὶ ῥύσεται, εἰς ὃν ἠλπίκαμεν [ὅτι] καὶ ἔτι ῥύσεται,
11 [And we are also relying on] you to help us by praying for us [(exc)]. [If many people pray for us], many people will also thank [God] when [he] kindly answers those many prayers [and delivers us from danger].
συνυπουργούντων καὶ ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῇ δεήσει, ἵνα ἐκ πολλῶν προσώπων τὸ εἰς ἡμᾶς χάρισμα διὰ πολλῶν εὐχαριστηθῇ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.
12 I am happy [to say] that I have behaved toward all people [MTY] in an honest and sincere way. My conscience assures me [that this is true]. Especially, I have behaved toward you [honestly and sincerely because that is what] God wants us to do. As I have done that, [my thoughts] have not been the thoughts that unbelieving people [MTY] [think are] wise. Instead, [I have behaved toward people only as God wants me to, depending on] God to help me in ways that I do not deserve.
Ἡ γὰρ καύχησις ἡμῶν αὕτη ἐστίν, τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς συνειδήσεως ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐν ἁγιότητι καὶ εἰλικρινείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ σαρκικῇ ἀλλ᾽ ἐν χάριτι θεοῦ ἀνεστράφημεν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, περισσοτέρως δὲ πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
13 [I say that] because [in all my letters to you] I have always written [LIT] clearly in a way that you can easily and completely understand [when you] read them.
οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα γράφομεν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἃ ἀναγινώσκετε ἢ καὶ ἐπιγινώσκετε· ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι ἕως τέλους ἐπιγνώσεσθε,
14 [Previously some of] you, but not all of you, have completely understood [that I am always honest and sincere with you]. But I confidently expect that [soon] you will all be fully convinced [about that]. Then when the Lord Jesus [MTY] [returns, you will all be able to say that] you are pleased with me, just like I will [be able to say that] I am pleased with you.
καθὼς καὶ ἐπέγνωτε ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ μέρους, ὅτι καύχημα ὑμῶν ἐσμεν, καθάπερ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ.
15 It was because I felt sure [that all of you were pleased with me] that I was planning to visit you on my way from [here] to Macedonia [province]. I also planned to visit you again on my way back from there, so that I could [spend time with you] twice, and be able to help you more, and I was hoping that you would [give me things that I needed] [EUP] for my journey to Judea [province].
καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πεποιθήσει ἐβουλόμην πρότερον πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν, ἵνα δευτέραν χάριν σχῆτε·
καὶ δι᾽ ὑμῶν διελθεῖν εἰς Μακεδονίαν, καὶ πάλιν ἀπὸ Μακεδονίας ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν.
17 So then, even though I [changed my mind later and did not do what] I [first] planned to do, [it was not because I did not have an important reason for changing my plans]. Surely you do not [really think] that I decide what I am going to do like people who do not know God do! [RHQ] I am [not like that]. I am not [a person who] says [to people], “Yes, [certainly I will do that],” and then [for no good reason changes his mind and says], “No, [I will not do it].”
τοῦτο οὖν βουλόμενος μή τι ἄρα τῇ ἐλαφρίᾳ ἐχρησάμην, ἢ ἃ βουλεύομαι κατὰ σάρκα βουλεύομαι, ἵνα ᾖ παρ᾽ ἐμοὶ τὸ ναὶ ναὶ καὶ τὸ οὒ οὔ;
18 Just as surely as God always does what he says [he will do, it is true that I have never said], “Yes, [I will do this]” when I [really meant] “No.”
πιστὸς δὲ ὁ θεός, ὅτι ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν ὁ πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἔστιν ναὶ καὶ οὔ·
19 [I follow the example of] God’s Son, Jesus Christ. When I, along with Silas and Timothy, taught you [about Christ], we told you that he was not [someone who said that he] would do [something] and [then] did not [do it]. Jesus Christ never [said to anyone], “Yes, [I will do what you desire],” and [then did] not [do it].
ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ γὰρ υἱὸς Ἰησοῦς χριστὸς ὁ ἐν ὑμῖν δι᾽ ἡμῶν κηρυχθείς, δι᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ Σιλουανοῦ καὶ Τιμοθέου, οὐκ ἐγένετο ναὶ καὶ οὔ, ἀλλὰ ναὶ ἐν αὐτῷ γέγονεν·
20 [We(inc) know that is true], because everything that God promised to do [for his people], he has done completely by [sending] Christ [to save us]. That is why we say, “Yes, it is true! [God has done everything that he promised to do]!” And we praise him for that!
ὅσαι γὰρ ἐπαγγελίαι θεοῦ, ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ ναί· διὸ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀμὴν τῷ θεῷ πρὸς δόξαν δι᾽ ἡμῶν.
21 Now it is only God himself who causes us [(exc)], as well as you, to keep on [believing] strongly in Christ. God is the one who chose us [(inc) to belong to him and to have a close relationship] with Christ.
ὁ δὲ βεβαιῶν ἡμᾶς σὺν ὑμῖν εἰς χριστὸν καὶ χρίσας ἡμᾶς θεός,
22 He also sent his Holy Spirit into our [(inc)] lives to mark us as belonging to himself [MET]. Also, since he has sent his Spirit to live in us [(inc)], [he wants us to know by this that] he guarantees [MET] [to give us every other] ([blessing/good thing]) [that he has promised].
ὁ καὶ σφραγισάμενος ἡμᾶς καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀῤῥαβῶνα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν.
23 So now [I will tell you why I changed my mind and did not visit you as I intended to do]: God himself knows [that what I am telling you is true]. The reason that I did not return to Corinth was so that I might not have to [speak to you severely about the wrong that you had done].
Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν, ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον·
24 It is not that Silas, Timothy and I want to boss you [and tell you that you must] believe only what we say. [Not at all]! On the contrary, we [(exc)] are working as partners [with you] in order to make you happy. [We do not try to force you to believe everything that we believe, because we are sure that you are continuing to] trust [the Lord Jesus Christ] and that you are remaining firmly committed to him.
οὐχ ὅτι κυριεύομεν ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλὰ συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς ὑμῶν· τῇ γὰρ πίστει ἑστήκατε·

< 2 Corinthians 1 >