Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, together with all the saints who are in all Achaia.

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those [who are] in all affliction with the comfort with which [we] ourselves are comforted by God.

But if we are afflicted, [it is] for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, [it is] for your comfort that is at work in the patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

And our hope for you [is] firm, [because we] know that as you are sharers in the sufferings, so also [you will be sharers] in the comfort.

For we are not writing [anything] else to you except what you can read or also understand. But I hope that you will understand {completely},

just as you have also understood us in part, that we are your reason for boasting, just as you [are] also ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.

For as many as [are the] promises of God, in him [they are] "yes"; therefore also through him [is] the "amen" to the glory of God through us.

Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

Because for this [reason] also I wrote, in order that I could know your proven character, whether you are obedient in everything.

in order that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

For we are not like the majority who peddle the word of God, but as from pure motives--but as from God--we speak before God in Christ.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or [do we], like some, need letters of recommendation to you or from you?

You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all people,

revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, inscribed not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our adequacy [is] from God,

And we all, with unveiled face, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory into glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing,

We are afflicted in every [way], but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

For we who are alive [are] continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

For all [these things] {are for your sake}, in order that the grace that is increasing through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

[because] we are not looking at what is seen, but what is not seen. For what is seen [is] temporary, but what is not seen [is] eternal.

For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being burdened {for this reason, that} we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Therefore, [although we are] always confident and know that [while we] are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--

so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Therefore, [because we] know the fear of the Lord, we are attempting to persuade people, but we are revealed to God, and I hope to be revealed in your consciences.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to boast about us, in order that you may have [an answer] for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

For if we are out of our senses, [it is] for God; if we are of sound mind, [it is] for you.

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

Therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as [if] God were imploring [you] through us. We beg [you] on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Now [because we] are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

[We are] giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found [with it],

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your affections.

And what agreement [does the] temple of God [have] with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, "I will live in them and will walk about [among them], and I will be their God and they will be my people."

I do not say [this] {to condemn you}, because I have already said that you are in our hearts, so that we die together and we live together.

[We are] trying to avoid this, lest anyone should find fault with us in this abundant gift that is being administered by us.

For we are taking into consideration what is honorable not only before the Lord, but also before people.

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times in many [things] that he is diligent, but now much more diligent [because of his] great confidence in you.

If [there is a question] concerning Titus, [he is] my partner and fellow worker for you. If [there is a question concerning] our brothers, [they are] messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

and [they are] longing for you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace of God to you.

For [although we] are living in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh,

for the weapons of our warfare [are] not merely human, but powerful to God for the tearing down of fortresses, tearing down arguments

And {we are ready} to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is completed.

You are looking at things according to appearance. If anyone is convinced he himself is Christ's, he should consider this concerning himself again: that just as Christ himself [is], so also [are] we.

because it is said, "His letters [are] severe and powerful, but his bodily presence [is] weak and his speech is of no account."

Let such a person consider this: that what we are in word by letters [when we] are absent, [we will] also [be] in {actions} [when we] are present.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as [if we] had not reached you, because we have reached even as far as you with the gospel of Christ,

so that we may proclaim the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, [and] not boast in the things accomplished in the [area] assigned to someone else.

I wish that you would put up with me {in something a little foolish}--but indeed you are putting up with me.

But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we [are] in what they are boasting about.

For such people [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Since many are boasting according to human standards, I also will boast.

For [because you] are wise, you put up with foolish people gladly!

Are they Hebrews? I [am] also! Are they Israelites? I [am] also! Are they descendants of Abraham? I [am] also!

Are they servants of Christ?--I am speaking as though I were beside myself--I [am] more so, with far greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with beatings to a much greater degree, in [danger of] death many times.

{For in what respect are you made worse off} more than the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Behold, this third [time] I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden [to you]. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all [these things], dear friends, [are] for your edification.

since you are demanding proof that Christ, who [is] not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me.

For indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, but he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him because of the power of God toward you.

Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ [is] in you, unless you are unqualified?

And I hope that you will recognize that we are not unqualified!

Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even [though] we are [seen] as though unqualified.

For we are not able [to do] anything against the truth, but rather [only] for the truth.

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and we pray for this: your maturity.