Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will, and the brother Timotheus, to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia.

May [God's] unearned favor be yours, [along with] peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort 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 our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened to us in Asia, that we were excessively pressed beyond our power, so as to despair even of living.

But [we] ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we would not be putting confidence in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

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

[while] you also join in helping {on our behalf} by prayer, so that thanks may be given {on our behalf} by many persons for this gracious gift [given] to us through [the help] of many.

For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity before God, (not in fleshly wisdom but in God's grace,) we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly towards you.

For we write you nothing other than what you read and understand [there is no double meaning in what we say]. And I hope you will [accurately] understand [divine things] until the end;

Even as you have been ready, in part, to say that we are your glory, in the same way that you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

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

And by way of Corinth to go into Macedonia, and from there to come back again to you, so that you might send me on my way to Judaea.

So then, was I indecisive or capricious when I was [originally] planning this? Or the things I plan, do I plan in a self-serving way like a worldly man, ready to say, “Yes, yes” and “No, no” [at the same time]?

But God [is] faithful, so that our word to you is not "yes" and "no."

For God's Son, Jesus the Messiah, who was preached among you by us by me, Silvanus, and Timothy was not "Yes" and "No." But with him it is always "Yes."

For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God.

Now God is the One who makes us stand firm with you in [fellowship with] Christ. He has anointed us [Note: "Anointed" here probably refers to selecting, appointing and commissioning people for some form of Christian service. See Luke 4:18];

But I call on God as my soul’s witness, that it was to spare you [pain and discouragement] that I did not come again to Corinth—

But, so far as I am concerned, I have resolved not to have a painful visit the next time I come to see you.

For if I caused you sorrow, who can make me glad except the one I have grieved? [See verse 6].

And I wrote this same thing to you, so that when I came, I would not be filled with sorrow by those who ought to make me glad, for I trusted in you and felt confident that my joy would be shared by all of you.

For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not so that you may be caused to be sad, but so that you may know the love that I have especially for you.

But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow, but {to some degree}--{in order not to say too much}--[to] all [of] you.

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

That's why I'm urging you to assure him of your love.

For this was my purpose in writing, to see if you would stand the test, whether you are obedient and committed to following my instruction in all things.

If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him -- for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ,

I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

my spirit could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there; so saying goodbye to them, I left for Macedonia.

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

I am Christ's fragrance upwafted unto God, among those who are being saved and those who are perishing;

by the one my preaching is taken as a deadly poison, to the other it is a reviving potion. and who is so sufficient for such a commission?

For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.

Do you say that this is self-recommendation once more? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

You yourselves are our letter, whose writing is in our heart, open for every man's reading and knowledge;

being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but the Spirit of the living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of the heart.

[We say this] because we have such confidence in God through [our relationship with] Christ.

It is not that we are [so] competent as to consider anything [we do] as coming from ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

He has also made us competent as ministers of a New Agreement [i.e., between Himself and mankind]. It is not [an agreement] based [merely] on a written document [i.e., such as the law of Moses], but on the Holy Spirit, for the written document brings [spiritual] death [See Rom. 8:2], but the Holy Spirit brings [never ending] life.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

will not the Spirit's ministry have even more glory?

For if the ministration of condemnation was so glorious, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory:

For on account of its surpassing splendor, what was once so splendid has now no splendor at all.

So since I have such a hope, I speak with great frankness,

and not according as Moses put a veil on his own face, so that the children of Israel should not fix their eyes on the end of that annulled.

But the minds of the Israelites became dull for, to this very day, the same veil remains on them [i.e., figuratively] when the Old Agreement [Scriptures] are read. It is not being revealed to them that the Old Agreement is being abolished by Christ [i.e., by His death on the cross. See Col. 2:14].

But whenever a person [i.e., the Jews] turn to the Lord, the veil is removed [i.e., so they can understand the meaning of God's promises to them through Christ].

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord's Spirit is, there is freedom.

As all of us reflect the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, we are becoming more like him with ever-increasing glory by the Lord's Spirit.

So, having obtained this ministry through [God's] mercy, we do not become discouraged.

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

So if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are dying.

in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth for them.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God [clearly revealed] in the face of Christ.

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

Troubles are round us on every side, but we are not shut in; things are hard for us, but we see a way out of them;

persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed ??10 wherever I go, I am being killed in the body as Jesus was, so that the life of Jesus may come out in my body:

always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown in our body.

For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Now since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with this Scripture: "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak.

We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence.

For all [these] things are for your sake, so that as [God’s remarkable, undeserved] grace reaches to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of [our great] God.

That's why we are not discouraged. No, even if outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed each and every day.

For our insignificant troubles [here on earth], which last only a short time, are producing for us an immeasurable, never ending [counter-] weight of splendor [i.e., in heaven. See Rom. 8:18].

So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

For we know that if our tent--that earthly body which is now our home--is taken down, we have a house of God's building, a home not made by hands, imperishable, in Heaven.

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our [immortal, eternal] celestial dwelling,

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].

So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—

for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]—

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

So whether we are at home or away from home, our goal is to be pleasing to him.

For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].

So, because I know the fear of God, I "persuade men." What I am is manifest to God, and I hope manifest also to your conscience.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an occasion to be [rightfully] proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in [outward] appearances [the virtues they pretend to have] rather than what is [actually] in heart.

If we are out of our mind [just unstable fanatics as some critics say], it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit.

For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died.

and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake.

Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

So if any one be in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new:

All this comes from God, who through Christ has reconciled me to himself, and has commissioned me to proclaim this reconciliation??19 how God through Christ reconciled the world to himself, refusing to count men's offenses against them, and intrusted me with the message of reconciliation.

We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men's transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Him who knew not sin he has made sin for us, that we might become God's righteousness in him.

Working together with Him, we strongly urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain [by turning away from sound doctrine and His merciful kindness].

(For he says, I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: see, now is the good time; now is the day of salvation):

we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited,

but in everything commending ourselves as God's ministers, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits,

in honour and disgrace, under infamy, and in repute: look'd upon as an impostor, while I say what is true;

as obscure persons, and yet are well known; as on the point of death, and yet, strange to tell, we live; as under God's discipline, and yet we are not deprived of life;

O Corinthians, my heart is so full, my tongue cannot be silent:

and as a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say it,) be ye enlarged -- also ye!

Set yourselves therefore at large, and bear not a stranger's yoke with the unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What company hath light with darkness?

and what agreement of God's temple with idols? for ye are the living God's temple; according as God has said, I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be to me a people.

“So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord,
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor],