1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the congregation of God at Corinth, with all the holy ones throughout Achaia:
2 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.
4 He comforts us in all our trouble, that we may be able to comfort those who also have trouble, through the comfort with which we are comforted from God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.
6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort. It works through patience and longsuffering and is the same sufferings that we also suffer.
7 Our hope for you is steadfast; knowing that, as you are partakers of the sufferings, so you also partake of the comfort.
8 We do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning our affliction that began in Asia. We were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.
9 Yes, we have had the sentence of death within ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.
10 God delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver us. We have set our hope on him. He will deliver us!
11 You also helped with your prayer on our behalf. Many may give thanks for the gift granted to us.
12 This is our pride and testimony of conscience. In holiness and Godly sincerity we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you. It was not by fleshly wisdom but by 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:
14 as also you did acknowledge us in part, that we are your reason to be proud, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 In this confidence I was willing to come to you first that you might have a second benefit.
16 To pass by you to Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be helped by you on my journey to Judea.
17 When I planned this was I unfaithful? Or in other things do I perform according to the flesh. With me should there be a yes or a no?
18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yes and no.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we, preached among you even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yes and no, but in him is yes.
20 All the promises of God in him are yes. Also in his is the Amen, to the glory of God through us.
21 He who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God.
22 He also sealed us, and gave us the guarantee of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 But I call God for a witness against me. To spare you I did not come to Corinth.
24 We do not control your faith. We are fellow workers for your joy: for you stand fast in faith.