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

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble by the consolation with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

And whether we are 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 are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

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, 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:

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.

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 manner of life in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

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

When I therefore was thus minded, did I use levity? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay?

But as God is true, our word towards you was not yea and nay.

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

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God by us.

Now he who establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts.

Moreover, I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I have not as yet come to Corinth.

For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same who is made sorry by me?

And I wrote this same to you, lest, coming I should have sorrow from them by whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted by many.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Now thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.

To the one we are the savor of death to death; and to the other the savor of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of God: but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you.

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart.

Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

For if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

And not as Moses, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

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

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.