1 ¶ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For in the same manner that the sufferings of the Christ abound in us, so also our consolation abounds by Christ.
6 And if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and saving health, which is effected in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and saving health.
7 ¶ And our hope of you is steadfast, being certain, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 Because, brothers, we would not have you ignore our tribulation which was done unto us in Asia, that we were burdened beyond our strength, in such a manner that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;
10 who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 ye also helping us with prayer, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
12 ¶ For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly towards you.
13 For we write no other things unto you than what ye read or also know, and I trust ye shall know them even to the end
14 as also ye have known in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 ¶ And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that ye might have a second grace
16 and to pass by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be sent forward to Judaea.
17 When I, therefore, was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that of me there should be yes, yes, and no, no?
18 But God is faithful that our word toward you has not been yes and no.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, has not been yes and no, but in him was yes.
20 For all the promises of God are yes in him, and in him Amen, by us for the glory of God.
21 Now he who confirms us with you unto Christ and has anointed us is God;
22 who has also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a witness upon my soul that I have not yet come unto Corinth to spare you.
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, for by faith ye stand.