Paul Greets the Corinthians
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God in 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.
The God of All Comfort
4 He 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, 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 endurance 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 do not 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 He has delivered us from so great a death and will deliver us. In him we have set our hope, that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help, together on our behalf through your supplication, that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many people on your behalf.
Paul’s Change of Plans
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 nothing else to you other 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 the reason for your boasting, as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 With this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit, 16 and with your assistance to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come back to you, to be sent forth by you on my journey to Judea. 17 When I therefore was determined to do this, was I fickle? Or the things that I purpose, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and “No, no?” at the same time? 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 as a witness to my soul, that I did not come to Corinth to spare you. 24 We do not control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.