God of All Comfort

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the [†]saints who are throughout Achaia:

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

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in [†]any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is working in your perseverance in the same sufferings which we also suffer. 7And our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

8For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction which came to us in [†]Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even to live. 9[†]Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not have confidence in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10who rescued us from so great a peril of death, and will rescue us, [†]He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet rescue us, 11you also joining in helping us through your prayers on our behalf, so that thanks may be given on our behalf by many persons for the gracious gift bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

Paul’s Change of Plans

12For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in [†]holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. 13For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end, 14just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason for boasting as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

15And in this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might receive [†]grace twice; 16[†]that is, to pass [†]your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea. 17Therefore, was I vacillating when I intended to do this? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time? 18But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but has become yes in Him. 20For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes. Therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 21Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22who also sealed us and gave the [†]pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.

23But I call God as witness [†]to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 24Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.