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

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

And if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, wrought by a patient endurance the same sufferings which we also suffer, and our hope for you is strong; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation,

For we wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly oppressed beyond our power, so that we despaired even of life;

Wishing this therefore, did I use lightness? or what I wish do I wish according to the flesh, that with me there may be the yes, yes, and the no, no?

For I wrote to you in much affliction and distress of mind with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.

But if the ministry of death engraved in a writing on stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses on account of the brightness of his face, which passed away,

For that which was made glorious was not glorious in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.

For if that which has passed away was with glory, much more will that which continues be in glory.

and not as Moses put a vail on his face, that the children of Israel might not see to the end of that which has passed away;

For the light affliction which is for a moment, works out for us more abundantly an eternal weight of glory,

while we look not on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are for a time, but those which are unseen are eternal.

For in this we also groan, earnestly desiring to put on our dwelling which is from heaven,

For being in this tabernacle we groan, being burdened, because we do not wish to put it off, but to put on [the other], that the mortal may be swallowed up by life.

and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted on your account, telling us of your great desire, your deep sorrow, your zeal for me, so that I rather rejoiced.

for I know your readiness, of which I boasted in your behalf to the Macedonians that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has excited many.

that you may be enriched in every thing for all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.

and I desire that I may not be bold when present, with that confidence which I design to use against some who speak of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

destroying [false] reasonings and every height which is exalted against the knowledge of God, and subjecting every thought to the obedience of Christ,

For if I should even boast some of our authority which the Lord gave for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.

But we will not boast of things not measured, but according to the measure of the rule which God has given us, to come even to you.

I wish you would bear a little with my folly; and indeed do bear with me.

but I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his craftiness, so also your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ.

For if he that comes preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive another spirit which you did not receive, or another gospel which you did not receive, you might well bear it;

As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting in respect to myself shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.

But what I do I also will do, that I may take away an occasion from those who wish an occasion, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we are.

Besides things without, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

I know even such a man,??hether in the body or out of the body I know not, God knows,??4 that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unutterable words, which it is not lawful for man to speak.

For if I shall wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I will tell the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should think of me beyond what he sees or hears of me.

For what is there in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong.

For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found such as you wish not; lest there shall be strife, envy, anger, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, pride, dissensions;

lest when I come again my God shall humble me before you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned, and not changed their minds, in respect to impurity and fornication and lewdness which they have committed.

We wish to God that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do good though we should be as reprobates.

For this reason, being absent, I write these things, that I may not use sharpness when present, with the power which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for pulling down.