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

who con soles us in all our afflictions, so that we are able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

And if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which salvation is effected by your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer; (and our hope in you is steadfast;) or if we are consoled, it is for your comfort and salvation;

because we know, that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you shall be partakers of the comfort.

as some of you also acknowledge us, that we are the cause of your rejoicing, even as you, also, are of ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

For whatever promises of God there are, are in him yes, and in him amen, to the glory of God by us.

not that we are lords over your faith, but fellow- workers for your joy: for by faith you stand.

For I wrote to you for this purpose also, that I might have a sure proof from you, whether you are obedient in all things.

lest an advantage should be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

For, through God, we are a sweet odor of Christ, among the saved, and among the lost:

to the one, we are the odor of death ending in death; to the other, the odor of life ending in life: and who is sufficient for these things?

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

you are well known to be a letter of Christ, written by us as his ministers, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

not that we are able, of ourselves, to devise any thing, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God,

And we all, with unvailed face, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit.

We are pressed on all sides, yet not restrained; perplexed, but not in despair;

For we who live are continually delivered up to death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

For all these afflictions are for your sakes, that the favor which abounds to me, may, through the thanksgiving of the many, abound richly to the glory of God.

For our present light affliction works out for us an eternal fullness of glory, excelling all excellence, ls while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen: for the things seen are temporal; but the things not seen are eternal.

For we who are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not because we wish to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Therefore, we are always confident, especially since we know that, while living in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

we are confident, indeed, and would be pleased rather to depart from the body, and to dwell with the Lord.

Knowing, then, the fearful judgment of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest to God. I hope, indeed, that we are also made manifest in your consciences.

And all these things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

you are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own affections.

What has a temple of God in common with one of idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

I do not say this to condemn you; for I have said before, that you are in our hearts, so that we could die with you, and live with you.

But God, who comforts those who are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

If it is necessary to speak of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker for you; if our brethren are spoken of, they are the apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.

(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, for the overthrowing of strongholds,)

Do you look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trusts in himself, that he is Christ s, let him again reason thus of himself: that as he is Christ s, so also are we.

For his letters, says one, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his style of speech contemptible.

Let such a one conclude thus that such as we are in word, by letters, while absent, such also will we be in deed, when present.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, trans forming themselves into the apostles of Christ;

For it is a pleasure to you to bear with men of no understanding, since you yourselves are wise.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they of the posterity of Abraham? So am I.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I say it foolishly,) I am above them. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.

for though he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Make trial of yourselves, whether you are in the faith; put yourselves to the proof. Do you not know your own selves, that Christ Jesus is in you? unless you be without proof.

But I hope that you will know that we are not without proof.

For we rejoice when we are weak, and you are strong. And we pray also for this your perfection.