1 P aul, apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will, and the brother Timotheus, to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia.

2 G race to you, and peace from God our Father, and Lord Jesus Christ.

3 B lessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement;

4 w ho encourages us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to encourage those who are in any tribulation whatever, through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged of God.

5 B ecause, even as the sufferings of the Christ abound towards us, so through the Christ does our encouragement also abound.

6 B ut whether we are in tribulation, for your encouragement and salvation, wrought in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer,

7 ( and our hope for you sure;) or whether we are encouraged, for your encouragement and salvation: knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the encouragement.

8 F or we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened in Asia, that we were excessively pressed beyond power, so as to despair even of living.

9 B ut we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

10 w ho has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver;

11 y e also labouring together by supplication for us that the gift towards us, through means of many persons, may be the subject of the thanksgiving of many for us.

12 F or our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity before God, (not in fleshly wisdom but in God's grace,) we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly towards you.

13 F or we do not write other things to you but what ye well know and recognise; and I hope that ye will recognise to the end,

14 e ven as also ye have recognised us in part, that we are your boast, even as ye ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

15 A nd with this confidence I purposed to come to you previously, that ye might have a second favour;

16 a nd to pass through to Macedonia by you, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be set forward by you to Judaea.

17 H aving therefore this purpose, did I then use lightness? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to flesh, that there should be with me yea yea, and nay nay?

18 N ow God faithful, that our word to you is not yea and nay.

19 F or the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him.

20 F or whatever promises of God, in him is the yea, and in him the amen, for glory to God by us.

21 N ow he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, God,

22 w ho also has sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

23 B ut I call God to witness upon my soul that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.

24 N ot that we rule over your faith, but are fellow-workmen of your joy: for by faith ye stand.