The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

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- Chapter 1 -

(Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy, a brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all of Achaia:

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

The God of All Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation.

He consoles us in all our tribulation, so that we too may be able to console those who are in any kind of distress, through the exhortation by which we also are being exhorted by God.

For just as the Passion of Christ abounds in us, so also, through Christ, does our consolation abound.

So, if we are in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation, or if we are in consolation, it is for your consolation, or if we are exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which results in the patient endurance of the same passion which we also endure.

So may our hope for you be made firm, knowing that, just as you are participants in the suffering, so also shall you be participants in the consolation.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about our tribulation, which happened to us in Asia. For we were weighed down beyond measure, beyond our strength, so that we became weary, even of life itself.

But we had within ourselves the response to death, so that we would not have faith in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.

He has rescued us, and he is rescuing us, from great peril. In him, we hope that he will continue to rescue us.

And you are assisting, with your prayers for us, so that from many persons, by that which is a gift in us, thanks may be given through many persons, because of us.

Paul’s Change of Plans

For our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience, which is found in simplicity of heart and in sincerity toward God. And it is not with worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God, that we have conversed with this world, and more abundantly toward you.

For we write nothing else to you other than what you have read and understood. And I hope that you will continue to understand, even unto the end.

And just as you have acknowledged us in our role, that we are your glory, so also you are ours, unto the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.(a)

And with this confidence, I wanted to come to you sooner, so that you might have a second grace,

and through you to pass into Macedonia, and to return to you again from Macedonia, and so be led by you on my way to Judea.

Then, although I had intended this, did I act lightly? Or in the things that I consider, do I consider according to the flesh, so that there would be, with me, both Yes and No?

But God is faithful, so our word, which was set before you, was not, in him, both Yes and No.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you through us, through myself and Sylvanus and Timothy, was not Yes, and No; but was simply Yes in him.(b)

For whatever promises are of God are, in him, Yes. For this reason, too, through him: Amen to God for our glory.

Now the One who confirms us with you in Christ, and who has anointed us, is God.

And he has sealed us, and he has placed the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.

But I call God as a witness to my soul, that I was lenient with you, in that I did not return to Corinth:

not because we have dominion over your faith, but because we are assistants of your joy. For by faith you stand.

Footnotes

(a)1:14 The verb ‘cognovistis’ in this context has more of the meaning ‘to acknowledge’ or ‘to recognize,’ rather than to know a fact or a person. The phrase ‘ex parte,’ which occurs several times in this passage, is somewhat idiomatic, indicating someone’s role, as in the expressions ‘for my part’ or ‘in my role.’(Conte)

(b)1:19 It is, was in him:There was no inconstancy in the doctrine of the apostles, sometimes, like modern sectaries, saying, It is, and at other times saying, It is not. But their doctrine was ever the same, one uniform yea, in Jesus Christ, one Amen, that is, one truth in him.(Challoner)

(Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

Paul, an apostle of Christ

(a)

Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

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

The God of All Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers,(b) concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us,

you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

Paul’s Change of Plans

For our boasting 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 toward you.

For we write no other things to you than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end—

as also you acknowledged us in part—that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,

and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

When I therefore planned this, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”

But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.”

For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.

Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,

who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.

We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:8 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”