2 Corinthians 1

Comfort in Suffering

1 This is Paul, sent by God to do His work through Christ Jesus, and our brother Timothy, writing to God’s church in Corinth and all the fam in Achaia.

2 Grace and peace to you all from God our Father and the Lord Jesus.

3 Praise God, the Father of Jesus and the God of all mercy. He is the one that keeps us lifted!

4 He comforts us in every struggle so we can go out and comfort others. The same love He shows us, we show others.

5 Just like we got a share of Christ’s suffering, we also get a share of His comfort.

6 If we go through it, it is for your encouragement and salvation. When we get comforted, you all get to share in that same hope to keep pushing.

7 We got mad confidence in you all, because we know if you share in our struggles, you will share in our comfort too.

8 We want you all to know, fam, we went through some heavy stuff in Asia. We were way past our limit, like we had no way out.

9 We even felt like we got the death sentence. But that happened so we would stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting in God who raises the dead.

10 He saved us from that near-death, and we know He will keep saving us.

11 You all help us by praying, and that is why so many can give thanks for what God did through your prayers.

12 This is our proud testimony: we acted with integrity and God’s sincerity, not on our own smarts but with God’s grace, especially toward you all.

13 We are not hiding nothing, you all got the real deal from us, and we hope you will keep understanding it fully.

14 Just as you already understand in part, we are hoping that on the day of the Lord, you will be proud of us, just like we are proud of you all.

Paul’s Change of Plans

15 With that confidence, I planned to come by and bless you all twice.

16 I was going to visit you on my way to Macedonia and see you again on my way back, so you all could send me off to Judea.

17 When I planned this, was I being wishy-washy, Or do I make plans like a worldly man, saying “yes” and “no” at the same time,

18 As sure as God is faithful, our message to you is not “yes” and “no.”

19 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who Silvanus, Timothy, and I preached, is not “yes” and “no”; in Him, it is always “yes.”

20 All God’s promises are “yes” in Christ, so we say “Amen” through Him to bring glory to God.

21 It is God who sets us up strong in Christ and put His anointing on us.

22 He stamped us with His seal and gave us the Spirit as a down payment of what is coming.

23 I call God as my witness, the reason I did not come back to Corinth was to spare you all.

24 It is not like we are tryna boss over your faith; we just want to work together with you all for joy, because you stand firm in your faith.