2 Corinthians 1:8-22

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. Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony  of our conscience  is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom  but by God’s grace.  For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely —  just as you have partially understood us — that we are your reason for pride,  just as you also are ours  in the day of our  Lord Jesus.  Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first,  so that you could have a second benefit,  and to visit you on my way to Macedonia,  and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you  on my journey  to Judea.  Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human  , way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? As God is faithful,  our message to you is not “Yes and no.” For the Son of God,  Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you — Silvanus,  , Timothy, and I — did not become “Yes and no.” On the contrary, in him it is always “Yes.”  For every one of God’s promises  is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen”  to the glory of God.  Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed  us. He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts  as a down payment.