New Testament · 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1

Paul Greets the Corinthians

(Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

1Paul, an apostle of Yeshua Messiah through the will^a of God, and Timothy the brother, to the ekklesia of God that is in Corinth with all the holy ones^c who are throughout Achaia:^b

2grace^d to you and peace^e from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua Messiah.

The God of All Comfort

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,^f 4who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For just as the sufferings of Messiah are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Messiah.

6But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and Salvation, which is effective in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope^g for you is firmly grounded; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort and Salvation, 7knowing that as you are sharers of the sufferings, so also you are sharers of the comfort.

8For we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our power^h, so that we despaired even of lifeⁱ; 9indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead;

10who delivered us from so great a death, and will deliver us — in whom we have set our hope — and He will yet deliver us, 11you also joining in helping us through your prayer, so that thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf for the gift of grace granted to us through the prayers of many.^j

Paul’s Change of Plans

12For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience^k that in simplicity and sincerity of God — not in fleshly wisdom^l but in the grace of God — we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. 13For we write nothing else to you than what you read or also clearly know; and I hope you will clearly know until the end,^mn 14just as you also partially acknowledged us, that we are your boast as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Yeshua.

15In this confidence I intended to come to you first, so that you might twice receive a blessing; 16and by way of you to go to Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be helped on my way to Judea by you.

17Therefore, when I was intending this, I did not do it lightly, did I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to flesh^o, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time? 18But as God is faithful, our word^p to you is not yes and no. 19For the Son of God, Yeshua Messiah, who was proclaimed among you by us — by me and Silvanus and Timothy — was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. 20For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

21Now He who establishes us with you in Messiah and anointed us is God, 22who also sealed us and gave us the pledge of the spirit^r in our hearts.^qs 23But I call God as witness to my soul^t that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 24Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers together for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.