Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy. Unto the congregation of God, which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

which comforteth us in all our tribulation, insomuch that we are able to comfort them which are troubled, in whatsoever tribulation it be, with the same comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

For as the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in us: even so is our consolation plenteous by Christ.

yet our hope is steadfast for you inasmuch as we know how, that as ye have your part in afflictions, so shall ye be partakers of consolation.

Brethren, I would not have you ignorant of our trouble, which happened unto us in Asia. For we were grieved out of measure passing strength, so greatly that we despaired even of life.

and which delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver - on whom we trust, that yet hereafter he will deliver us,

by the help of your prayer for us: That by the means of many occasions, thanks may be given of many on our behalf, for the grace given unto us.

Our rejoicing is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in singleness of heart and with godly pureness - and not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God - we have had our conversation in the world, and most of all to you-wards.

We write no other things unto you, than that ye read and also know. Yea, and I trust ye shall find us unto the end

even as ye have found us partly, for we are your rejoicing, even as ye are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

When I thus wise was minded: Did I use lightness? Or think I carnally those things which I think, that with me should be "yea, yea," and "nay, nay?"

God is faithful: For our preaching unto you, was not "yea" and "nay."

For God's son Jesus Christ which was preached among you by us - that is to say, by me and Silvanus and Timothy - was not "yea" and "nay": but in him it was "Yea."

For all the promises of God, in him are "Yea": and are in him "Amen," unto the laud of God through us.

For it is God which establisheth us and you in Christ, and hath anointed us,

which hath also sealed us, and hath given the earnest of the spirit into our hearts.

For if I make you sorry: who is it that should make me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

And I wrote this same epistle unto you, lest if I came, I should take heaviness of them, of whom I ought to rejoice. Certainly this confidence have I in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

It is sufficient unto the same man that he was rebuked of many.

lest Satan should prevent us. For his thoughts are not unknown unto us.

Thanks be unto God which always giveth us the victory in Christ, and openeth the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.

to the one part are we the savor of death unto death; and unto the other part are we the savor of life unto life. And who is mete unto these things?

For we are not as many are, which chop and change with the word of God: but even out of pureness, and by the power of God and in the sight of God, so speak we in Christ.

We begin to praise ourselves again. Need we, as some others, of epistles of recommendation unto you? Or letters of recommendation from you?

Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is understood and read of all men;

in that ye are known, how that ye are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us and written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as it were of ourselves; but our ableness cometh of God;

which hath made us able to minister the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

If the ministration of death through the letters figured in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of countenance - which glory nevertheless is done away -

For no doubt that which was there glorified is not once glorified in respect of this exceeding glory.

Then if that which is destroyed was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth be glorious.

Seeing then that we have such trust, we use great boldness;

and do not as Moses - which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel should not see for what purpose that served, which is put away.

But their minds were blinded. For until this day remaineth the same covering, untaken away, in the old testament when they read it - which in Christ is put away:

But even unto this day, when Moses is read the veil hangeth before their hearts.

The Lord no doubt is a spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.