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

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

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

If we meet with trouble, it is for the sake of your consolation and salvation; and, if we find consolation, it is for the sake of the consolation that you will experience when you are called to endure the very sufferings that we ourselves are enduring;

And our hope for you [is] firm, [because we] know that as you are sharers in the sufferings, so also [you will be sharers] in the comfort.

For as for our troubles which came upon us in the province of Asia, we would have you know, brethren, that we were exceedingly weighed down, and felt overwhelmed, so that we renounced all hope even of life.

Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then thanks will be given by many persons on our behalf for the gracious gift [of deliverance] granted to us through the prayers of many [believers].

For the reason for our boasting is this--the testimony of our own conscience that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, and in reliance not on worldly wisdom but on the gracious help of God, that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and above all in our relations with you.

For we write no other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end:

just as some few of you have recognized us as your reason for boasting, even as you will be ours, on the day of Jesus our Lord.

It was with this confidence that I planned at first to visit you, so that you might receive twice a token of grace;

This, then, being my purpose, perhaps, after all, with lightness, I dealt with the matter ? or, the things that I purpose, according to the flesh, I purpose, - that, with me, should be the Yea, yea, and the Nay, nay?

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

But He who is making us as well as you stedfast through union with the Anointed One, and has anointed us, is God,

For we do not have [the right to] rule over your faith [i.e., to dictate concerning your personal relationship with God], but we want to work with you for your happiness. For you are [already] standing firm in your faith. [Note: This whole narrative alludes to some unresolved problems still existing there in Corinth].

For my own sake, as well, I decided not to pay you another painful visit.

For if I [cause] you sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad by me?

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

For out of great sorrow and distress of heart, yes, while shedding many tears, I wrote you, not to make you sad but to make you realize that my love for you continues running over.

But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

all) though sufficient to such a one is the censure passed on him by many.

So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief.

For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to him clear by your acts.

For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

Now whomever you forgive [for doing] anything [wrong], I will forgive also. For indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if I have [actually] forgiven anything, has been for your sakes in the sight of Christ. [Note: Paul seems to be saying "Since my forgiveness depends on your forgiveness of the man, I am not sure of my forgiveness because I am not sure of yours"].

so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions.

Well, when I reached Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, though I had a wide opportunity in the Lord,

and to God are thanks, who at all times is leading us in triumph in the Christ, and the fragrance of His knowledge He is manifesting through us in every place,

To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified for this?

Unlike many people, we are not in the habit of making profit out of God's Message; but in all sincerity, and bearing God's commission, we speak before him in union with Christ.

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

For all can see that you are a letter of Christ entrusted to our care, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the ever-living God--and not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.

how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more with glory?

For if [there was] glory in the ministry of condemnation, by much more will the ministry of righteousness overflow with glory.

Indeed, what had glory [the Law], in this case no longer has glory because of the glory that surpasses it [the gospel].

For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

With such a hope as this, we speak with all plainness;

But whenever the heart of the nation shall have returned to the Lord, the veil will be withdrawn.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

On the other hand, I have renounced all underhanded, disgraceful methods; I neither practice cunning nor do I tamper with God's message, but by clear and candid statements of truth I try to commend myself to every human conscience in God's sight.

If the meaning of my preaching of the good news is veiled at all, it is so only in the case of those who are on the way to destruction.

For God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," [is the one] who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

We are pressed on all sides, yet not restrained; perplexed, but not in despair;

at all times the dying of the Lord Jesus bearing about in the body, that the life also of Jesus in our body may be manifested,

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

Thus we are constantly dying, while you are in full enjoyment of Life.

knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us [along] with you in His presence.

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For I know that if this earthly tent that I live in is taken down, God will provide me a building in heaven to live in, not built by human hands but eternal.

For indeed, we groan while in this "house," longing to be covered over by our heavenly dwelling place,

if indeed, even [after we] have taken [it] off, we will not be found naked.

For indeed we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; while yet we do not wish to be unclothed, but clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Now God is the One who has prepared us for this very thing [i.e., the receiving of a new body to live in]. He has [also] given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment. [Note: This refers to the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit as being a guarantee that we will receive the balance of our inheritance in the form of a new body].

Therefore we are always confident, and know that while present in the body we are absent from the Lord,

we have courage, and are well pleased rather to be away from the home of the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

'I am beside myself,' am I? Well, that is between myself and God. I am 'sane,' am I? Well, that is in your interests;

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

So, from now on we will not regard any person by worldly standards, even though we [once] regarded Christ that way. But we will not regard Him [that way] anymore. [Note: Paul seems to be saying that before his conversion he viewed Christ on the basis of His family, His education, His position, etc., but since his conversion he does not view Him that way anymore].

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

As workers together with God we urge you also, who have received God's unearned favor, do not allow it to be for nothing,

(for he says, I have listened to thee in an accepted time, and I have helped thee in a day of salvation: behold, now is the well-accepted time; behold, now the day of salvation:)

[We are] giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found [with it],

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

through honor and dishonor; through ill repute and good repute; perceived as deceivers and yet true,

As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

[Keep out of all incongruous ties with unbelievers. What have righteousness and iniquity in common, or how can light associate with darkness?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are [nested] in our hearts [and you will remain there] to die together and to live together [with us].

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

For, even when we came into Macedonia, no relief at all, had our flesh; but, in every way, were we in tribulation, - without, fightings! within, fears!

and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he was comforted in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more.

For even though I did grieve you with my letter, I do not regret it [now]; though I did regret it —for I see that the letter hurt you, though only for a little while—

now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to [the will of] God, so that you suffered loss in no way through us.

For grief according to [the will of] God brings about a repentance [leading] to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death.

For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

how, while passing through great trouble, their boundless joy even amid their deep poverty has overflowed to increase their generous liberality.

For I can testify that to the utmost of their power, and even beyond their power, they have of their own free will given help.

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.

Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected.

And herein I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will.