The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

(Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Timotheus the brother, to the Assembly of God that is in Corinth, with all the holy ones who are in all Achaia:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

The God of All Comfort

Blessed [is] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort,

who is comforting us in all our tribulation, for our being able to comfort those in any tribulation through the comfort with which we are comforted ourselves by God;

because, as the sufferings of the Christ abound to us, so through the Christ our comfort also abounds;

and whether we be in tribulation, [it is] for your comfort and salvation, that is worked in the enduring of the same sufferings that we also suffer; whether we are comforted, [it is] for your comfort and salvation;

and our hope [is] steadfast for you, knowing that even as you are partakers of the sufferings—so also of the comfort.

For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, of our tribulation that happened to us in Asia, that we were exceedingly burdened above [our] power, so that we even despaired of life;

but we ourselves have had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead,

who delivered us out of so great a death, and delivers, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;

you also working together for us by your supplication, that the gift through many persons to us, through many, may be thankfully acknowledged for us.

Paul’s Change of Plans

For our glorying is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you;

for no other things do we write to you, but what you either read or also acknowledge, and I hope that you will also acknowledge to the end,

according as you also acknowledged us in part, that we are your glory, even as also you [are] ours, in the Day of the Lord Jesus;

and in this confidence I was intending to come to you before, that you might have a second favor,

and to pass to Macedonia through you, and to come to you again from Macedonia, and to be sent forward by you to Judea.

This, therefore, intending, did I then use the lightness; or the things that I counsel, [did] I counsel according to the flesh, that it may be with me Yes, yes, and No, no?

And God [is] faithful, that our word to you did not become Yes and No,

for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, having been preached through us among you—through me and Silvanus and Timotheus—did not become Yes and No, but in Him it has become Yes;

for as many as [are] promises of God, in Him [are] the Yes, and in Him the Amen, for glory to God through us;

and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and anointed us, [is] God,

who also sealed us, and gave the deposit of the Spirit in our hearts.

And I call on God for a witness on my soul, that sparing you, I did not come to Corinth yet;

not that we are lords over your faith, but we are workers together with your joy, for by faith you stand.

(Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

Paul, an apostle of Christ

(a)

Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The God of All Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers,(b) concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us,

you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

Paul’s Change of Plans

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

For we write no other things to you than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end—

as also you acknowledged us in part—that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,

and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

When I therefore planned this, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”

But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.”

For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.

Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,

who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.

We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:8 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”