2 Corinthians 1

(Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

1PaulG3972, an apostleG652 of ChristG5547 JesusG2424 byG1223 the willG2307 of GodG2316, andG2532 TimothyG5095 our brotherG80,

To theG3588 churchG1577 of GodG2316 inG1722 CorinthG2882, together withG4862 allG3956 theG3588 saintsG40 throughoutG1510G1722G3650 AchaiaG882:

2GraceG5485 andG2532 peaceG1515 to youG4771 fromG575 GodG2316 ourG1473 FatherG3962 andG2532 the LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547.

The God of All Comfort

3BlessedG2128 be theG3588 GodG2316 andG2532 FatherG3962 of ourG1473 LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547, theG3588 FatherG3962 of compassionG3628 andG2532 the GodG2316 of allG3956 comfortG3874, 4whoG3588 comfortsG3870 usG1473 inG1909 allG3956 ourG1473 troublesG2347, so thatG1519 weG1473 canG1410 comfortG3870 thoseG3588 inG1722 anyG3956 troubleG2347 withG1223 theG3588 comfortG3874 we ourselvesG846 have received fromG5259 GodG2316. 5ForG3754 just asG2531 theG3588 sufferingsG3804 of ChristG5547 overflowG4052 toG1519 usG1473, soG3779 alsoG2532 throughG1223 ChristG5547 ourG1473 comfortG3874 overflowsG4052.

6

IfG1535 we are afflictedG2346, it is forG5228 yourG4771 comfortG3874 andG2532 salvationG4991; ifG1535 we are comfortedG3870, it is forG5228 yourG4771 comfortG3874, whichG3588 accomplishesG1754 in youG1722 patient enduranceG5281 of theG3588 sameG846 sufferingsG3804 weG1473 experienceG3958. 7AndG2532 ourG1473 hopeG1680 forG5228 youG4771 is sureG949, because we knowG1492 thatG3754 just asG5613 you shareG1510G2844 inG3588 our sufferingsG3804, soG3779 alsoG2532 you will share inG3588 our comfortG3874.

8

We do not wantG3756G2309 youG4771 to be unawareG50, brothersG80, ofG5228 theG3588 hardshipsG2347 weG1473 encounteredG1096 inG1722 the province of AsiaG773.1 We were under a burdenG916G2596 far beyondG5236G5228 our ability to endureG1411, so thatG5620 weG1473 despairedG1820 evenG2532 ofG3588 lifeG2198. 9IndeedG235, weG846 feltG2192 we were underG1722G1438 theG3588 sentenceG610 of deathG2288, in order thatG2443 we would notG3361G1510 trustG3982 inG1909 ourselvesG1438, butG235 inG1909 GodG2316, whoG3588 raisesG1453 theG3588 deadG3498.

10He has deliveredG4506 usG1473 fromG1537 such a deadly perilG5082G2288, andG2532 He will deliverG4506 us. InG1519 Him we have placed our hopeG1679 thatG3754 He will yet again deliverG4506G2089 us, 11as youG4771 helpG4943 usG1473 byG3588 your prayersG1162. ThenG2443 manyG4183G4383 will give thanksG2168 onG5228 our behalfG1473 forG1537 theG3588 favor shownG5486G1519 usG1473 in answer toG1223 their prayers.

Paul’s Change of Plans

12ForG1063 thisG3778 isG1510 ourG1473 boastG2746: OurG1473 conscienceG4893 testifiesG3142 thatG3754 we have conducted ourselvesG390 inG1722 theG3588 worldG2889, andG1161 especiallyG4057 in relation toG4314 youG4771, inG1722 the holinessG41 andG2532 sincerityG1505 thatG3588 are from GodG2316—notG3756 inG1722 worldlyG45592 wisdomG4678, butG235 inG1722 the graceG5485 of GodG2316. 13ForG1063 we do not write you anythingG1125G4771G3756 that is beyondG243G235G2228G3739 your ability to readG314 and understandG1921. AndG1161 I hopeG1679 thatG3754 you will understandG1921 us completelyG2193G5056, 14asG2531 you have already understoodG2532G1921 usG1473 inG575 partG3313, thatG3754 youG4771 may boastG2745 of usG1510 just asG2509 weG1473 will boast of youG2532G4771 inG1722 theG3588 dayG2250 of ourG1473 LordG2962 JesusG2424.3

15

ConfidentG4006 of thisG3778, I plannedG1014 to visitG2064G4314 youG4771 firstG4386, so thatG2443 you might receiveG2192 a doubleG1208 blessingG5485. 16I wanted to visitG1330 youG1223G4771 on my way toG1519 MacedoniaG3109, andG2532 to returnG2064G3825 toG4314 youG4771 fromG575 MacedoniaG3109, and thenG2532 to have youG4771 help me on my wayG4311 toG1519 JudeaG2449.

17

When I plannedG1014 thisG3778, did I do itG3385G5530 carelesslyG1644? OrG2228 do I make my plansG1011G3739 byG2596 human standardsG4561, so asG2443 to say “YesG3483, yesG3483” and alsoG2532 “NoG3756, noG3756”? 18ButG1161 as surely as GodG2316 is faithfulG4103, ourG1473 messageG3056 toG4314 youG4771 isG1510 notG3756 “YesG3483” andG2532 “NoG3756.” 19ForG1063 theG3588 SonG5207 of GodG2316, JesusG2424 ChristG5547, whoG3588 was proclaimedG2784 amongG1722 youG4771 byG1223 meG1473 andG2532 SilvanusG46104 andG2532 TimothyG5095, wasG1096 notG3756 “YesG3483” andG2532 “NoG3756,” butG235 inG1722 HimG846 it has always beenG1096 “YesG3483.” 20ForG1063 allG3745 the promisesG1860 of GodG2316 are “YesG3483” inG1722 Christ. AndG2532 soG1352 throughG1223 HimG846, our “AmenG281” is spokenG1223G1473 toG4314 the gloryG1391 of GodG2316.

21NowG1161 it is GodG2316 whoG3588 establishesG950 both usG1473 andG4862 youG4771 inG1519 ChristG5547. He anointedG5548 usG1473, 22placed His sealG4972 on usG1473, andG2532 putG1325 His SpiritG4151 inG1722 ourG1473 heartsG2588 as a pledge of what is to comeG728. 23IG1473 callG1941 GodG2316 asG1909 myG1699G3588G5590 witnessG3144 thatG3754 it was in order to spareG5339 youG4771 that I did not returnG2064G3765 toG1519 CorinthG2882. 24NotG3756 thatG3754 we lord it overG2961 yourG4771 faithG4102, butG235 we areG1510 fellow workersG4904 with youG4771 forG3588 your joyG5479, becauseG1063 it is byG3588 faithG4102 that you stand firmG2476.