1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, Unto the church 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 God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were pressed beyond measure, beyond strength, insomuch 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 raiseth the dead,
10 who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver us, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.
11 Ye also helped by praying together for us, so that for the gift bestowed upon us by 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 we have had our discourse in the world, and more abundantly toward you, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God in simplicity and godly sincerity.
13 For we write no other things unto you than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end,
14 as ye also have acknowledged us 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 this, that ye might have a second benefit:
16 to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come again to you on my way out of Macedonia, and be sent by you on my way toward Judea.
17 When therefore I was thus minded, did I decide lightly? Or the things which I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be “yea, yea” and “nay, nay”?
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not “yea” and “nay.”
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “yea” and “nay,” but in Him was “yea.”
20 For all the promises of God in Him are “yea”; and in Him “amen” unto the glory of God by us.
21 Now He who establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God,
22 who hath also put His seal upon us, and given us the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that it was to spare you that I came not as yet unto Corinth,
24 not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers for your joy. For by faith ye stand.