Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, and all the saints that are in Achaia:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation; who comforteth us in all our affliction,

For as the sufferings for the sake of Christ abound on us, so our consolation by Christ doth also abound.

And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is wrought out by the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or if we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

And our hope is firm concerning you, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the consolation.

For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befel us in Asia, that we were exceedingly pressed above our strength, so that we despaired even of life:

who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us:

you also assisting by prayer for us, that the favor obtained for us by the prayers of many might be thankfully acknowledged by many on our account.

For this is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and pious sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and especially towards you.

As ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, as ye also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

For Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, was not yea and nay,

but was yea in Him, (for all the promises of God are in Him yea, and in Him amen,) to the glory of God by us:

but He that establisheth us as well as you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us,

and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

But I call God to witness on my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth:

for if I grieve you, who is it that maketh me glad, but he that is grieved by me?

And I wrote this to you, that when I come I may not have grief from those of whom I ought to receive joy, being persuaded concerning all of you, that my joy is the joy of you all.

And if any one hath caused grief, it hath grieved me only as to part of you, (that I may not overcharge you

all) though sufficient to such a one is the censure passed on him by many.

But thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and spreadeth the odor of his knowledge by us in every place.

to these indeed we are an odor of death to death; to those an odor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not like many who adulterate the word of God: but as with sincerity, but as from God, and in the sight of God, we speak concerning Christ.

Do we begin again to recommend ourselves? or do we need, as some do, recommendatory epistles to you, or letters of recommendation from you?

not that we can of ourselves reckon upon any thing as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.

Who hath also fitted us to be ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

For if that, which was to be taken away, came with glory, much more that which abideth is glorious.

Having therefore such hope, we use much freedom of speech:

and do not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, intimating that the children of Israel could not look to the end of that which was to be abolished; but their minds were blinded:

for unto this day the same veil remaineth unremoved in the reading of the old testament, which veil is taken away in Christ.

But to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

Though when it turneth unto the Lord, the veil is taken off: