Chapter 1
1 Paul , an apostle of Christ 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:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ .
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , the Father of mercies and God of all comfort ,
4 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 .
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us , even so our comfort also abounds through Christ .
6 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 .
7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that , since you are partakers of the sufferings , so you are also of the comfort .
8 For we don’ t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, 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 .
9 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 ,
10 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 ,
11 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 .
12 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 towards you .
13 For we write no other things to you than what you read or even acknowledge , and I hope you will acknowledge to the end —
14 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 .
15 In this confidence , I was determined to come first to you , that you might have a second benefit ,
16 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 .
17 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 ?"
18 But as God is faithful , our word towards you was not " Yes and no ."
19 For the Son of God , Jesus Christ , who was preached amongst you by us — by me , Silvanus , and Timothy — was not " Yes and no ," but in him is " Yes ."
20 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 .
21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God ,
22 who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts .
23 But I call God for a witness to my soul , that to spare you , I didn’ t come to Corinth .
24 We don’ t control your faith , but are fellow workers with you for your joy . For you stand firm in faith .