To the Church of God which is in Corinth, and to all the saints throughout Greece. from Paul, by God's will an apostle of Christ, and from brother Timothy.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father in the Lord Jesus Christ.

My hope for you is firm; for I know that as you are comrades in my sufferings, so also are you comrades in my comfort.

He delivered me from such a death, and will deliver me. On him I have set my hopes that he will continue to deliver me,

while all of you also are helping me by your prayers; so that from many lips thanksgiving may rise on my behalf for the blessings vouchsafed to me through the intercessions of many.

For I am writing to you nothing different from what you read aloud and very well recognize, and I hope will continue to recognize to the very end,

I intended to go by you into Macedonia, and to come again to you from Macedonia, and by you to be sent forward on my way to Judea.

I am; for I am not like most, trafficking in the word of God, but rather from a sincere heart, like a man of God, I speak in Christ, in the very presence of God.

Am I beginning again to "recommend" myself? Or do I need, as some do, letters of commendation either to you or from you?

Not that I am sufficient in myself to reach any conclusion in my own wisdom; but my sufficiency is from God.

I do not do as Moses did, who used to cover his face with a veil to keep the children of Israel from beholding the passing of a fading glory.

And we all, with unveiled faces, reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves continually being transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.

But I hold this treasure in an earthen vessel, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be from God, and not from myself.

For I know that He who raised from the dead the Lord Jesus, will raise me also with Jesus, and set me at your side in his presence.

Therefore I am always of good courage, because I well know that while I am at home in the body, I am in banishment from the Lord,

So I have good courage, and am well pleased rather, to be in banishment from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

And all this is from God, who through Christ reconciled me to himself, and gave me the ministry of reconciliation;

Therefore, Come out from among them and separate yourselves, saith the Lord, touch not what is unclean;

As these promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, and perfect our holiness in the fear of God.

For your pain came from God, and so you took no harm from me. For the pain which is from God works repentance leading to salvation, a repentance never to be regretted. But the world's pain works death.

As for Titus, remember that he is a partner of mine, and is also my associate in labors for you. As for the other brothers, remember that they are delegates from the churches, men in whom Christ is glorified.

So I have thought that I must ask these brothers to visit you beforehand, and get your promised contribution ready in advance. I want it to be given of your bounty, not extorted from your covetousness.

He who ever supplies seed to the sower, and bread for the food of man, will supply and make plentous your seed, and increase the harvest springing up from your almsgiving.

Would that you could put up with a little "folly" from me! Nay, do bear with me.

But I fear lest, just as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your minds should be seduced from your single-mindedness and purity toward Christ.

Even when I lacked the actual necessities of life while I was with you, I was a burden to no one; for whatever I lacked, the brothers from Macedonia supplied, when they came. So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

I am doing and will continue to do this in order to cut away the ground from under those who wish some cause for slander; and that the ground of their boasting may appear as does mine.

My journeys have been many; in perils of rivers, in perils of bandits; in perils from my countrymen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness; in perils on the sea, in perils among false brothers;

And I know such a man (whether in the body or apart from the body I know not, God knows),

If I should choose to continue boasting I should not be foolish, for I should be speaking the truth. But I refrain, lest by the stupendous grandeur of the revelation any one should estimate me beyond what he sees in me, or hears from me.