[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and Timothy, our brother. [It is being sent] to the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints [i.e., God's holy people] who are in the entire province of Achaia [Note: This was the southern province of Greece].

For I do not want you to be uninformed about the sorrow that I suffered in Asia, because I was so crushed beyond any power to endure that I was in dire despair of life itself.

Also we received an answer of death in ourselves, and that was done because we should not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead to life again -

So deadly was the peril from which he saved me, as he will save me again! It is on him that I have set my hope that he will save me again.

For this is my proud boast, the testimony of my conscience, that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God, that I have conducted myself in the world, and above all in my relations with you.

And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;

I was going to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then to come back to you from Macedonia and have you see me off for Judea.

When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

Faithful, however, is God, in that, our discourse, which was delivered unto you, is not Yea and Nay;

For, the Son of God, Christ Jesus - who, among you, through us, was proclaimed, - through me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, became not Yea and Nay, - but Yea, in him, hath it become;

but was yea in Him, (for all the promises of God are in Him yea, and in Him amen,) to the glory of God by us:

I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.

But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you with sorrow.

And I said this very thing in my letter, for fear that when I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the joy of you all.

For I was in great trouble and distress of mind when I wrote you, and I shed many tears as I did it, yet it was not to hurt your feelings, but to make you realize the extraordinary affection I have for you.

Sufficient, unto such a one, the punishment itself which was inflicted by the many;

I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.

When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven if there was anything to forgive I did in the presence of the Messiah for your benefit,

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

I was so uneasy in my mind for not finding Titus my brother, that taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

But, if, the ministry of death, in letters engraven in stones, was brought into existence with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly into the face of Moses, by reason of the glory of his face - which glory was to be done away,

For if the ministration of condemnation was glory,

For, if, the ministry of condemnation was glory, much rather, doth the ministry of righteousness abound with glory,

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

For, if that which was to be done away was brought in with glory, much more, that which is to abide, is in glory.

And are not just like Moses, who kept putting a veil upon his face, so that the sons of Israel should not look steadily unto the end of that which was to be done away.

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 being exposed to death as Jesus was, so that in my body the life of Jesus may be clearly shown.

for all things are for your sakes, that the grace which was conferr'd upon many, might by the gratitude of so many, redound 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 whether we were beside ourselves, it was to God; whether we be of sound mind -- it is to you,

For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then all have undergone death;

and for all he died, that those living, no more to themselves may live, but to him who died for them, and was raised again.

How that, God, was in Christ, reconciling, a world, unto himself, not reckoning, unto them, their offences, - and hath put, in us, the reconciling discourse.

On Christ's behalf, then, I come as ambassador. It is as though God was entreating you, through me, on Christ's behalf I beg you to be reconciled to God.

For the man who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

by preaching the truth; through the power of God [i.e., possibly including miracles]; and by [using] weapons of righteousness in [our] right and left hands. [Note: This could allude to offensive and defensive weapons and means that Paul was fully equipped to do whatever was right].

And what harmony can Christ have with Belial? [Note: "Belial" means "worthlessness" and was used for referring to the devil]. Or, what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God.

For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side: Outward was fighting, inward was fear.

And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

For tho' I was sorry my letter gave you some uneasiness, I do not repent of it, perceiving, that the uneasiness you had from that letter, did not dwell upon your minds.

now I rejoice, not at your uneasiness, but at your repentance which succeeded: for your sorrow was a religious sorrow, such as convinc'd you I had done you no wrong.

For you see what care was produced in you by this very sorrow of yours before God, what clearing of yourselves, what wrath against sin, what fear, what desire, what serious purpose, what punishment. In everything you have made it clear that you are free from sin in this business.

Hence, if I even wrote unto you, it was not for the sake of him that did the wrong, naynot even for the sake of him that suffered the wrong; but for the sake of your earnestness, which was on our account, being made manifest unto you, before God:-

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.

because if anything to him in your behalf I have boasted, I was not put to shame; but as all things in truth we did speak to you, so also our boasting before Titus became truth,

Now I am going to tell you, brothers, of God's spiritual blessing which was given in the churches of Macedonia,

With much exhortation, entreating of us the favour and the fellowship of the ministry which was for the saints; -

and in this they out-did my expectation; such was the divine pleasure, they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then made me an offer to go themselves to Corinth.

This has led me to ask Titus to complete the arrangements for the same gracious contribution among yourselves, as it was he who started it.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

But I will tell you what I think about it. For this is the best way to deal with you, for you were the first not only to do anything about this, but to want to do anything, and that was last year.

So now complete the doing of it also, in order that just as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the accomplishment according to your means.

According as it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little was nothing short.

For he accepted the request. Yea, rather he was so well willing, that of his own accord came unto you.

And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Nevertheless I have sent the brethren, that, our boast in your behalf, be not made void, in this respect, that, even as I was saying, ye may be prepared, -

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 so in their prayers for you they will long for you because of God's exceptional grace that was shown to you.

Now I Paul, who am humble [when speaking] face to face with you, but bold when I am away from you, urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ [Note: This means either Paul was imitating Christ's behavior or that the Corinthians were to do so]:

when I am present, which I think to exercise against some, who censure me, as if I was actuated by worldly views.

that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:

contemptible) let such a one depend upon this, that the same authority which appear'd in my letters, when I was absent, will appear in fact, when I am present.

But we will not boast beyond our proper boundaries [Note: This may mean that Paul was not attempting to exercise apostolic authority outside the parameters assigned to him by God], but will restrict our boasting to the area assigned to us by God as a field of service, which includes you people [there in Corinth].

For I am not overstepping my authority as though I should not reach you, for I was the very first to reach as far as you with the good news of Christ.

but I fear lest by some means or other, as Eve was beguiled by the subtilly of the serpent, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is due to Christ.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

I spoiled other churches, taking wages of them, to serve you: and when I was present with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man.

Even when I lacked the actual necessities of life while I was with you, I was a burden to no one; for whatever I lacked, the brothers from Macedonia supplied, when they came. So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

As sure as the truth of Christ is in my heart, no one will stop me from boasting about this [arrangement] throughout the regions of Achaia. [Note: This was the province where Corinth was located].

But what I am doing, I will continue to do, so that I can cut off the opportunity from those who want an occasion [to receive financial support for themselves because of my example of receiving it]. They want to boast [that they are preaching] on the same terms as I do. [Note: Paul's argument seems to be that one reason for his foregoing financial support was so those "super apostles" in Corinth (see verse 5) would not be able to use his example to wrongfully exact financial support from the church].

To return to what I was saying. Let no one suppose that I am foolish. Or if you must, at any rate make allowance for me as being foolish, in order that I, as well as they, may boast a little.

I say that I was weak, and yet for whatever reason any one is bold (I speak in mere folly) I too am bold.

Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans.
Once I was stoned by my enemies.
Three times I was shipwrecked.
I have spent a night and a day
in the open sea.

In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of Damascenes, to apprehend me, -

but through an opening in the wall I was let down in a basket, and so escaped and out of his hands.

I know a Christian man who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or out of the body, I know not. God knows), was caught up??his man of whom I speak??ven into the third heaven.

but tho' I don't know whether it was in the body, or out of the body, which God only knows,

who was caught up into Paradise, and heard unutterable words which no human being is permitted to utter.

It was for this reason, lest I should be over-elated, that there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be over-elated.

I have become a fool -- boasting; ye -- ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles -- even if I am nothing.

The signs that mark a true apostle were most patiently shown when I was among you, in signs, wonders, and marvels.

In what respect, then, were you inferior to the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

But though it be granted that I was not a burden to you, yet, you say, this was my cunning with which I caught you by a trick.

Was there, anyone of those whom I have sent unto you, through whom I have overreached you?

I exhorted Titus, and sent with him the brother, - Did, Titus, overreach you? Was it not, in the same spirit, we walked? Was it not, in the same steps?

I have said formerly, and I now forewarn you as when I was present the second time, so now when I am absent the second time, so now when I am absent, saying to those who had sinned before, and to all the rest, "If I come again, I will not spare,"

For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he now lives through the power of God. I also am weak, sharing in his weakness, but I shall live with him by the power of God.

For we [apostles] have no power [to act] against the truth, but [only] for the truth. [Note: Paul here alludes to his gifts and ministry being intended only to promote what was right according to God's truth].

That is why I write this while I am away from you, so that when I come, I may not have to be harsh in my use of the authority the Lord has given me, for it was to build you up, not to pull you down.