2 Corinthians 1
1
Introduction
1Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah) by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God which is at Corinth, and to all the #1:1 All born-again believers are saints, that is, they are set apart for God’s special use.saints (God’s people) throughout Achaia (southern Greece):
2Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For just as Christ’s sufferings are ours in abundance [as they overflow to His followers], so also our comfort [our reassurance, our encouragement, our consolation] is abundant through Christ [it is truly more than enough to endure what we must]. 6But if we are troubled and distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted and encouraged, it is for your comfort, which works [in you] when you patiently endure the same sufferings which we #1:6 Lit suffer.experience. 7And our #1:7 In the NT the word “hope” expresses a cherished desire along with the confident assurance of obtaining that which is longed for.hope for you [our confident expectation of good for you] is firmly grounded [assured and unshaken], since we know that just as you share as partners in our sufferings, so also you share as partners in our comfort.
8For we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about #1:8 In general, the editorial plurals used in this letter refer only to Paul.our trouble in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], how we were utterly weighed down, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life [itself]. 9Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death [and were convinced that we would die, but this happened] so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. 10He rescued us from so great a threat of death, and will continue to rescue us. On Him we have set our hope. And He will again rescue us [from danger and draw us near], 11while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then thanks will be given by many persons on our behalf for the gracious gift [of deliverance] granted to us through the prayers of many [believers].
Paul’s Integrity
12This is our [reason for] proud confidence: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [in general], and especially toward you, with pure motives and godly sincerity, not in human wisdom, but in the grace of God [that is, His gracious lovingkindness that leads people to Christ and spiritual maturity]. 13For we write you nothing other than what you read and understand [there is no double meaning in what we say]. And I hope you will [accurately] understand [divine things] until the end; 14just as you have [already] partially understood us, [and one day will recognize] that you can be proud of us just as we are of you, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15It was with this confidence that I planned at first to visit you, so that you might receive twice a token of grace; 16that is, [I wanted] to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and [then] to come back to you [on my return] from Macedonia, and have you send me on my way to Judea. 17So then, was I indecisive or capricious when I was [originally] planning this? Or the things I plan, do I plan #1:17 Lit according to the flesh.in a self-serving way like a worldly man, ready to say, “Yes, yes” and “No, no” [at the same time]? 18But [as surely as] God is faithful and means what He says, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No” [at the same time]. 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but has proved to be “Yes” in Him [true and faithful, the divine “Yes” affirming God’s promises]. 20For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God. 21Now it is God who establishes and confirms us [in joint fellowship] with you in Christ, and who has anointed us [empowering us with the gifts of the Spirit]; 22it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise of eternal life].
23But I call on God as my soul’s witness, that it was to spare you [pain and discouragement] that I did not come again to Corinth— 24not that we rule [like dictators] over your faith, but rather we work with you for [the increase of] your joy; for in your faith you stand firm [in your strong conviction that Jesus of Nazareth—the Messiah—is the Son of God, through whom we obtain eternal salvation].
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2 Corinthians 1
1
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in the whole of Achaia: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. 6But whether we be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we be comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer:
7and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. 8For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9yea, we ourselves have had the answer of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; 11ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.
12For our glorying 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 to you-ward. 13For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end: 14as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15And in this confidence I was minded to come before unto you, that ye might have a second benefit; 16and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea. 17When I therefore was thus minded, did I shew fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay? 18But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay. 19For 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 is yea. 20For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God through us. 21Now he that stablisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 22who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth. 24Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
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