1 From Paul, an ·apostle [messenger] of Christ Jesus. ·I am an apostle because that is what God wanted [L …by the will of God]. Also from Timothy [Acts 16:1–5; 1 Cor. 16:10–11; Phil. 2:19–24; 1–2 Timothy] our ·brother in Christ [L brother].
To the church of God in Corinth, and to all ·of God’s people [T the saints] everywhere in Achaia [C the Roman province where the city of Corinth was located, present day southern Greece]:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul Gives Thanks to God
3 ·Praise be to [Blessed is/be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father who is full of ·mercy [compassion] and all ·comfort [encouragement]. 4 He ·comforts [encourages] us ·every time we have [L in all our] ·troubles [trials; tribulation], so when others have ·trouble [any trials/tribulation], we can ·comfort [encourage] them with the same ·comfort [encouragement] God gives us. 5 [L For just as] ·We share in the many sufferings of Christ [L Christ’s sufferings abound in us]. In the same way, ·much comfort comes to us [L our comfort abounds] through Christ. 6 If we have ·troubles [trials; tribulation], it is for your ·comfort [encouragement] and salvation, and if we ·have comfort [are encouraged], ·you also have comfort [or it is for your comfort/encouragement]. This helps you to accept patiently the same sufferings we have. 7 Our hope for you is ·strong [unshaken; firm], knowing that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the ·comfort [encouragement] we receive.
8 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the ·trouble [trial; tribulation] we suffered in Asia [C a Roman province in present-day western Turkey]. We had great burdens there that were beyond our own strength, so that we even ·gave up hope of living [L despaired of life]. 9 Truly, in our own hearts we believed we ·would die [L had been sentenced to death]. But this happened so we would not trust in ourselves but in God, who raises people from the dead. 10 God ·saved [rescued; delivered] us from these great dangers of death, and he will continue to ·save [rescue; deliver] us. We have put our hope in him, and he will ·save [rescue; deliver] us again. 11 ·And you can [or …as you] help us with your prayers. Then many people will give thanks for us—·that God blessed [for the gift/favor given to] us because of their many prayers.
The Change in Paul’s Plans
12 This is ·what we are proud of [L our boast], ·and I can say it with a clear conscience [L the testimony/witness of our conscience]: In everything we have done in the world, and especially with you, we have had an ·honest[a] [or generous] and sincere heart from God. We did this by God’s grace, not by ·the kind of wisdom the world has [worldly/fleshly wisdom]. We write to you ·only what you can read and understand [or in a clear and straightforward manner]. And I hope that as you have understood ·some things [part of the situation; L in part] about us, you may come to ·know everything [understand fully] about us [C some of Paul’s previous contacts and correspondence had produced misunderstanding or conflict; 2:1]. Then you can ·be proud [boast] of us, as we will ·be proud [boast] of you on the day ·our Lord Jesus Christ comes again [L of our Lord Jesus Christ; C judgment day].
15 I was so sure of all this that I made plans to visit you first so you could ·be blessed twice [L have a second grace]. 16 I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia [C the northern part of present-day Greece; Acts 19:21; 20:1, 2] and again on my way back [C the visit anticipated in 1 Cor. 16:5]. I wanted to ·get help from you for my trip [L be sent by you] to Judea. 17 [L So; Therefore] Do you think that I made these plans ·without really meaning it [lightly; with vacillation]? Or maybe you think I make plans ·as the world does [or using only human standards/reason; L according to the flesh], so that I say yes, yes and at the same time no, no.
18 But ·since you can believe God [L God is trustworthy/faithful], you can believe that what we tell you is never both yes and no. 19 [L For] The Son of God, Jesus Christ, that Silas and Timothy and I preached to you, was not yes and no. [L But; Rather] In ·Christ [L him] it has always been yes. 20 The yes to all of God’s promises is in ·Christ [L him], and through Christ we say ·yes [L amen; C from a Hebrew term meaning “yes,” or “it is true”] to the glory of God. 21 Remember, God is the One who makes you and us ·strong [stand firm; established] in Christ. God ·made us his chosen people [or commissioned us; L anointed us]. 22 He put his ·mark on us to show that we are his [L seal on us; C of ownership], and he put his Spirit in our hearts ·to be a guarantee for all he has promised [L as a pledge/deposit/downpayment].
23 Now I ·ask [call on; appeal to] God to be my witness ·that this is true [or staking my life on it; L against my soul/life; C a very serious vow or oath]: The reason I did not come back to Corinth was to ·keep you from being punished or hurt [L spare you]. 24 We are not trying to ·control [rule; lord it over] your faith. You ·are strong [stand firm; are well established] in faith. But we are workers with you for your own joy.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 1:12 honest Some Greek copies read “holy.”