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

knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.

For we wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly oppressed beyond our power, so that we despaired even of life;

but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

who delivered us from so great a death and will deliver, in whom we hope that he will also still deliver,

you also striving together for us in prayer, that thanks may be rendered for us by many persons for the gift bestowed on us by many.

For this is our rejoicing; the testimony of our conscience that in purity and godly sincerity, not with a carnal wisdom, but with a divine grace, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and most abundantly towards you.

as you have also acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

And in this confidence I wished to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit,

Wishing this therefore, did I use lightness? or what I wish do I wish according to the flesh, that with me there may be the yes, yes, and the no, no?

And he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God,

But I call God to witness on my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.

Not that we are lords of your faith, but co-laborers of your joy; for you stand firm by the faith.

for if I grieve you, who is he that gladdens me, but he that is grieved by me?

And I wrote the same to you that coming I might not have sorrow for those in whom I ought to have joy, having trusted in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

For I wrote to you in much affliction and distress of mind with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.

But if any one has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but in part, that I may not be hard upon you, [has grieved you] all,

so that on the other hand you ought to forgive and comfort him, that he may not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.

for I wrote for this purpose, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.

that we may not be circumvented by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to reason out any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,

But if the ministry of death engraved in a writing on stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses on account of the brightness of his face, which passed away,

For that which was made glorious was not glorious in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.

For if that which has passed away was with glory, much more will that which continues be in glory.

and not as Moses put a vail on his face, that the children of Israel might not see to the end of that which has passed away;

in whom the god of this life has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God, may not shine.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us,

always carrying about the death of Jesus in the body, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

So that death works in us, but life in you.

knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and present us with you.

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

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle was destroyed, we have an edifice from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For being in this tabernacle we groan, being burdened, because we do not wish to put it off, but to put on [the other], that the mortal may be swallowed up by life.

And he that has made us for this is God, who has given us the pledge of the Spirit.

Being always confident therefore, and knowing that while we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord,??7 we walk by faith, not by sight;??8 but we are confident, and are pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, that each one may receive through the body for what he has done, whether it is good or evil.

For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but give you occasion to glory on our account, that you may have something for those that glory in appearance and not in heart.

For the love of Christ constrains us, judging this, that if one died for all then were all dead;

and he died for all, that those who live should no more live for themselves but for him that died for them and rose again.

So that from henceforth we know no man after the flesh; and if we have known Christ after the flesh, we now know him no more.

So that if any one is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.

to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their offenses, and has given to us the word of reconciliation.

For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become God's righteousness in him.

And being also co-laborers we exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain,??2 for he says, In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you; behold, now is an acceptable time, behold, now is a day of salvation,??3 giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry may not be blamed,

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts both to die and live together.

and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted on your account, telling us of your great desire, your deep sorrow, your zeal for me, so that I rather rejoiced.

For if I even grieved you by the epistle, I do not repent, though I did repent; for because I see that the epistle grieved you but for a time,

now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to a change of mind; for you were grieved in a godly manner, to suffer injury from us in nothing.

For behold, this same thing, that you grieved in a godly manner, how great diligence it produced in you, what a defense, what indignation, what fear, what desire, what zeal, what a punishment! In every thing you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

If therefore I wrote to you, it was not on account of him that did the wrong, nor on account of him that suffered wrong, but that our diligence in your behalf might be manifest before God.

I rejoice that I have confidence in you in every thing.

that in much trying affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.

so that we requested Titus, as he before began, that he would complete also this charity with you.

But as you abound in every thing, in faith, and speech, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us, [we desire] that you may abound in this grace also.

for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he became poor, though rich, that you by his poverty might be rich.

And now, therefore, perform the doing also, that as there was a readiness to will, so also there may be a performance from what you have.

Not that others may be relieved and you burdened,

but that there may be an equality; that at the present time your abundance may supply their deficiency, and that their abundance may supply your deficiency, that there may be an equality,

as it is written; He that [gathered] much had nothing over, and he that [gathered] little had no deficiency.

guarding against this, that no one may blame us in this abundance administered by us;

for I know your readiness, of which I boasted in your behalf to the Macedonians that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has excited many.

But I sent the brothers, that our boasting of you may not be in vain in this respect, as I said you were prepared,

I thought it necessary, therefore, to exhort the brothers to go to you before, and to make ready your free gift before announced, that it may be ready as a free gift and not as an exaction.

And [consider] this, He that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he that sows liberally shall reap also liberally.

And God is able to make every favor abound to you, that having always every sufficiency in every thing you may abound in every good work;

And may he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating multiply your grain, and increase the products of your righteousness;

that you may be enriched in every thing for all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.

and I desire that I may not be bold when present, with that confidence which I design to use against some who speak of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

You see things according to appearances. If any one trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider again with himself that as he is Christ's so also are we.

[But I forbear,] that I may not seem as though I would terrify you by epistles.

Let such a one think, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also will we be in work when present.

not boasting of things unmeasured in the labors of others, but having a hope, your faith being increased, that we shall be magnified among you according to our rule abundantly,

But let him that glories glory in the Lord;

for not he that commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

For if he that comes preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive another spirit which you did not receive, or another gospel which you did not receive, you might well bear it;

for I judge that I am not behind the chief of the apostles.

Have I done wrong to humble myself that you might be exalted, that I preached the gospel of God to you gratuitously?

But what I do I also will do, that I may take away an occasion from those who wish an occasion, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we are.

Again, I say let no one think me to be foolish; but if otherwise, even as a foolish man bear with me that I may boast a little.

Besides things without, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I lie not.

I know even such a man,??hether in the body or out of the body I know not, God knows,??4 that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unutterable words, which it is not lawful for man to speak.

And that I might not be elated with my extraordinary revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me, that I should not be too much exalted.

For this I besought the Lord thrice that it might leave me.

Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I am well pleased with infirmities, with injuries, with necessities, with persecutions, with distresses for Christ; for when I am weak, then am I strong.

For what is there in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong.

Do you again think that we are defending ourselves? We speak in Christ before God; all these things, beloved, are for your edification.

For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found such as you wish not; lest there shall be strife, envy, anger, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, pride, dissensions;

I have said before, and I now foretell as if present a second time, although absent, to those who have already sinned and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare;

Try yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves; or know you not yourselves that Christ is in you unless you are reprobates?

But I hope you will know that we are not reprobates.

We wish to God that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do good though we should be as reprobates.

For this reason, being absent, I write these things, that I may not use sharpness when present, with the power which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for pulling down.