Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, together with all the saints who are in all Achaia.

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

But if we are afflicted, [it is] for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, [it is] for your comfort that is at work in the patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

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 we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning our affliction that happened in the [province of] Asia, that we were burdened to an extraordinary degree, beyond [our] strength, so that we were in 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 risk] of death, and will deliver [us], in whom we have put our hope that he will also deliver [us] again,

[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 reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, in holiness and purity of motive from God, not in merely human wisdom, but by the grace of God.

For we are not writing [anything] else to you except what you can read or also understand. But I hope that you will understand {completely},

just as you have also understood us in part, that we are your reason for boasting, just as you [are] also ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.

And with this confidence, I was wanting to come to you previously, in order that you may have a second proof of my goodwill,

Therefore, [when I] was wanting [to do] this, perhaps then was I making use of vacillation? Or was I deciding what I was deciding according to the flesh, in order that with me my "yes" may be "yes" and my "no" [may be] "no" [at the same time]?

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

But I call upon God [as] witness against my life, that [in order to] spare you, I did not come again to Corinth.

Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

And I wrote this very [thing] in order that [when I] came, I would not experience sorrow from those who ought to have made me glad, [because I] have confidence about you all, that my joy {belongs to 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.

Because for this [reason] also I wrote, in order that I could know your proven character, whether you are obedient in everything.

in order that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, inscribed not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our adequacy [is] from God,

But if the ministry of death in letters carved on stone came with glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look intently into the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, which was transitory,

For indeed what had been glorified has not been glorified in this case, on account of the glory that surpasses [it].

and not as Moses used to place a veil over his face, in order that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was transitory.

among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

But we have this treasure in earthenware jars, in order that the extraordinary degree of the power may be from God and not from us.

always carrying around the death of Jesus in our body, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

For we who are alive [are] continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

[because we] know that the one who raised Jesus will also raise us together with Jesus and present [us] together with you.

For all [these things] {are for your sake}, in order that the grace that is increasing through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

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

For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being burdened {for this reason, that} we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Therefore, [although we are] always confident and know that [while we] are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--

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

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to boast about us, in order that you may have [an answer] for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

For the love of Christ controls us, [because we] have concluded this: that one died for all; as a result all died.

And he died for all, in order that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

He made the one who did not know sin [to be] sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

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

I do not say [this] {to condemn you}, because I have already said that you are in our hearts, so that we die together and we live together.

and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort [with] which he was comforted among you, [because he] reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

For if indeed I grieved you by my letter, I do not regret [it]. Even if I did regret [it] (I see that that letter grieved you, even though for {a short time}),

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.

Consequently, even if I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong or because of the one who had been wronged, but in order that your diligence {on our behalf} might be revealed to you before God.

Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,

that with a great ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and the extreme depth of their poverty have overflowed to the wealth of their generosity.

I testify that [they gave] according to [their] ability, and beyond [their] ability, by their own choice,

So we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun [it], thus he would also complete for you this [act of] grace.

But just as you excel in everything--in faith and in speaking and in knowledge and with all diligence and in the love from us [that is] in you--so may you excel in this grace also.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that [although he] was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich.

So now also complete the doing [of it], in order that just as [you have] the eagerness to want [to do it], thus also [you may] complete [it] from [what you] have.

For [this is] not that for others [there may be] relief, [and] for you difficult circumstances, but [as a matter] of equality.

At the present time your abundance [will be] for their need, in order that their abundance may also be for your need, so that there may be equality,

And not only [this], but he was also chosen by the churches [as] our traveling companion together with this gift that is being administered by us to the glory of the Lord himself and [to show] our readiness [to help].

[We are] trying to avoid this, lest anyone should find fault with us in this abundant gift that is being administered by us.

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times in many [things] that he is diligent, but now much more diligent [because of his] great confidence in you.

because I know your readiness [to help], [concerning] which I keep on boasting to the Macedonians about you, that Achaia has been ready [to help] since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority [of them].

But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you would not prove to be empty in this case, so that you may be prepared just as I was saying,

Therefore I considered [it] necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.

And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, [because you] have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work.

now I ask [when I] am present [that I will] not [need] to be bold with the confidence [with] which I propose to show boldness toward some who consider us as behaving according to the flesh.

and all pride that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

You are looking at things according to appearance. If anyone is convinced he himself is Christ's, he should consider this concerning himself again: that just as Christ himself [is], so also [are] we.

For even if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave [us] {for building you up and not for tearing you down}, I will not be put to shame,

so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters,

Let such a person consider this: that what we are in word by letters [when we] are absent, [we will] also [be] in {actions} [when we] are present.

But we will not boast {beyond limits}, but according to the measure of the assignment that God has assigned to us as a measure to reach even as far as you.

not boasting {beyond limits} in the labors of others, but having hope [that as] your faith is growing to be enlarged greatly by you according to our assignment,

so that we may proclaim the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, [and] not boast in the things accomplished in the [area] assigned to someone else.

I wish that you would put up with me {in something a little foolish}--but indeed you are putting up with me.

Or did I commit a sin [by] humbling myself in order that you may be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without payment?

But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we [are] in what they are boasting about.

Again I say, do not let anyone think I am foolish. But indeed, if [you do], accept me even as foolish, in order that I also may boast a little.

I say [this] to [my] shame, namely, that we have been weak. But in whatever anyone dares to [boast]--I am speaking in foolishness--I also dare to [boast].

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

that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which [it is] not permitted for a person to speak.

For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees [in] me or hears anything from me,

even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself.

Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me.

And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness." Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

{For in what respect are you made worse off} more than the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all [these things], dear friends, [are] for your edification.

[I am afraid] lest [when I] come again my God will humiliate me {in your presence}, and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.

I have already said when was present the second time, and [although I] am absent now also say in advance to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare [anyone],

since you are demanding proof that Christ, who [is] not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me.

Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ [is] in you, unless you are unqualified?

And I hope that you will recognize that we are not unqualified!

Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even [though] we are [seen] as though unqualified.

Because of this, I am writing these [things] [although I] am absent, in order that [when I] am present I may not have to act severely according to the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.