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 which 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 them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of 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 of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye
are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we
would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia,
that we were pressed out of measure, above 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 which raiseth the
dead:
10 Who
delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he
will yet deliver us;
11 Ye
also helping together by prayer for us, 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 fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had
our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
13 For we
write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust
ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
14 As
also ye 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, that ye might have a
second benefit;
16 And to
pass by you into Macedonia,
and to come again out of Macedonia
unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward 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 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 Timotheus,
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
which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath
anointed us, is God;
22 Who
hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 Moreover
I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 Not
for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by
faith ye stand.