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 throughout Achaia:

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

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,

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

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with holiness and godly sincerity, not in worldly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and still more toward you.

But as surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.

For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by usby me and Silvanus and Timothywas not Yes and No, but in him it has always been Yes.

For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are Yes. And so through him we speak our Amen to the glory of God.

Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us;

But I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

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 so many, peddling the word of God; but as men of sincerity, as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of carnal hearts.

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.

Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves; but our competence is from God,

But we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

For all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Therefore we are always of good courage; and we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We are therefore ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Working together with him, then, we urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, distresses,

in truthful speech, and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;

through glory and dishonor, evil report and good report; true, yet regarded as impostors;

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

now I rejoice, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance; for you became sorrowful as God intended, so that you suffered no loss through us.

So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

Now, brethren, we want you to know about the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,

And they did not do as we expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

Each one must give just as he has purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may have an abundance for every good work.

You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

Because of the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in your confession of the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others;

while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,

But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has apportioned to us, a field that reaches even to you.

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

And what I am doing, I will also continue to do, in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things of which they boast.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.

And I know that this manwhether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will have to mourn over many of those who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and lewdness which they have practiced.

For he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God for you.

Now we pray to God that you may not do wrong, not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem to have failed.

Finally, brethren, farewell. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.