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2 Corinthians 1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,(A) and Timothy(B) our[a] brother:
To God’s church at Corinth,(C) with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.(D)
2 Grace to you and peace(E) from God our Father(F) and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God of Comfort
3 Praise(G) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies(H) and the God of all comfort.(I) 4 He comforts us in all our affliction,[b] so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For as the sufferings(J) of Christ(K) overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows.(L) 6 If we are afflicted,(M) it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in your endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.(N) 7 And our hope(O) for you is firm, because we know that as you share(P) in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort.
8 For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia:(Q) we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength(R)—so that we even despaired(S) of life. 9 Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God(T) who raises(U) the dead. 10 He has delivered(V) us from such a terrible death,(W) and He will deliver us. We have put our hope in Him that He will deliver us again 11 while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[c] behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.
A Clear Conscience
12 For this is our confidence: The testimony(X) of our conscience(Y) is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly[d] wisdom(Z) but by God’s grace.(AA) 13 Now we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— 14 as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride,(AB) as you are ours,(AC) in the day of our[e] Lord Jesus.(AD)
A Visit Postponed
15 I planned with this confidence to come to you first,(AE) so you could have a double benefit,[f] 16 and to go on to Macedonia(AF) with your help, then come to you again from Macedonia and be given a start by you(AG) on my journey(AH) to Judea.(AI) 17 So when I planned this, was I irresponsible? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human[g](AJ) way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” simultaneously? 18 As God is faithful,(AK) our message to you is not “Yes and no.” 19 For the Son of God,(AL) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus[h](AM) and Timothy—did not become “Yes and no”; on the contrary, a final “Yes” has come in Him.(AN) 20 For every one of God’s promises(AO) is “Yes” in Him. Therefore, the “Amen”(AP) is also spoken through Him by us for God’s glory.(AQ) 21 Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed(AR) us. 22 He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment(AS) in our hearts.(AT)
23 I call on God as a witness,(AU) on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.(AV) 24 I do not mean that we have control of[i] your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand(AW) by faith.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 1:1 Lit the
- 2 Corinthians 1:4 Or trouble, or tribulation, or trials, or oppression; the Gk word has a lit meaning of being under pressure.
- 2 Corinthians 1:11 Other mss read your
- 2 Corinthians 1:12 The word fleshly (characterized by flesh) indicates that the wisdom is natural rather than spiritual.
- 2 Corinthians 1:14 Other mss omit our
- 2 Corinthians 1:15 Other mss read a second joy
- 2 Corinthians 1:17 Or a worldly, or a fleshly, or a selfish
- 2 Corinthians 1:19 Or Silas; Ac 15:22-32; 16:19-40; 17:1-16
- 2 Corinthians 1:24 Or we lord it over, or we rule over
2 Corinthians 1
New International Version
2 Corinthians 1
New International Version
1 Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and Timothy(C) our brother,
To the church of God(D) in Corinth,(E) together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:(F)
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(G)
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(H) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us(I) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,(J) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;(K) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,(L) so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed,(M) brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced(N) in the province of Asia.(O) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,(P) who raises the dead.(Q) 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,(R) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope(S) that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers.(T) Then many will give thanks(U) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Paul’s Change of Plans
12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience(V) testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[b](W) and godly sincerity.(X) We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom(Y) but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.(Z)
15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you(AA) first so that you might benefit twice.(AB) 16 I wanted to visit you on my way(AC) to Macedonia(AD) and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way(AE) to Judea.(AF) 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner(AG) so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
18 But as surely as God is faithful,(AH) our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God,(AI) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[c](AJ) and Timothy(AK)—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always(AL) been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises(AM) God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen”(AN) is spoken by us to the glory of God.(AO) 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm(AP) in Christ. He anointed(AQ) us, 22 set his seal(AR) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(AS)
23 I call God as my witness(AT)—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you(AU) that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over(AV) your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.(AW)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 1:8 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 8:1; 13:11.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12 Many manuscripts holiness
- 2 Corinthians 1:19 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
2 Corinthians 1
King James Version
2 Corinthians 1
King James Version
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
13 For we write none other things unto you, that what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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