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.

This letter is from Paul. I have been chosen by God to be a missionary for Jesus Christ. Timothy is here with me and is writing to you also. We are writing to God’s church in the city of Corinth and to all of God’s people in the country of Greece.

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

May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Father Who shows us loving-kindness and our God Who gives us comfort.

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.

He gives us comfort in all our troubles. Then we can comfort other people who have the same troubles. We give the same kind of comfort God gives us.

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

As we have suffered much for Christ and have shared in His pain, we also share His great comfort.

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,

But if we are in trouble, it is for your good. And it is so you will be saved from the punishment of sin. If God comforts us, it is for your good also. You too will be given strength not to give up when you have the same kind of trouble we have.

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.

Our hope for you is the same all the time. We know you are sharing our troubles. And so you will share the comfort we receive.

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.

We want you to know, Christian brothers, of the trouble we had in the countries of Asia. The load was so heavy we did not have the strength to keep going. At times we did not think we could live.

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;

We thought we would die. This happened so we would not put 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;

Yes, God kept us from what looked like sure death and He is keeping us. As we trust Him, He will keep us in the future.

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.

You also help us by praying for us. Many people thank God for His favor to us. This is an answer to the prayers of many people. Paul Wants to Visit Corinth

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.

I am happy to say this. Whatever we did in this world, and for sure when we were with you, we were honest and had pure desires. We did not trust in human wisdom. Our power came from God’s loving-favor.

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,

We write to you only what we know you can understand. I hope you will understand everything.

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.

When the Lord Jesus comes again, you can be as proud of us as we will be proud of you. Right now you do not understand us real well.

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

It was because of this, I wanted to visit you first. In that way, you would be helped two times.

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.

I wanted to stop to visit you on my way to the country of Macedonia. I would stop again as I came from there. Then you could help me on my way to the country of Judea.

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?

Yes, I changed my mind. Does that show that I change my mind a lot? Do I plan things as people of the world who say yes when they mean no? You know I am not like that!

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

As God is true, my yes means yes. I am not the kind of person who says one thing and means another.

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.

Timothy and Silvanus and I have preached to you about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Him there is no yes and no. In Him is yes.

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

Jesus says yes to all of God’s many promises. It is through Jesus that we say, “Let it be so,” when we give thanks to God.

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

God is the One Who makes our faith and your faith strong in Christ. He has set us apart for Himself.

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

He has put His mark on us to show we belong to Him. His Spirit is in our hearts to prove this.

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

I call on God to look into my heart. The reason I did not come to the city of Corinth was because I did not want my strong words to hurt you.

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

We are not the boss of your faith but we are working with you to make you happy. Your faith is strong.