2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,  and Timothy  our  brother: To the church of God at Corinth,  with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.  Grace to you and peace  from God our Father  and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies  and the God of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our affliction,  so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings  of Christ  overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  If we are afflicted,  it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.  And our hope  for you is firm, because we know that as you share  in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort. We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia.  We were completely overwhelmed #— #beyond our strength   #— #so that we even despaired  of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God  who raises  the dead. He has delivered  us from such a terrible death,  and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our  behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.