PAUL an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and brother Timotheus, to the church of God at Corinth as well as to all the saints throughout the whole of Achaia:

And whether we are pressed, for your comfort and salvation, being well wrought in endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer: whether we are comforted, for your comfort and salvation.

My hope for you is well founded; because I know that just as you, brothers, are sharers of my sufferings, so you will be sharers of my comfort too.

For we do not write other things to you but what ye well know and recognise; and I hope that ye will recognise to the end,

Such was my intention. Now, have I shown myself 'fickle'? When I propose some plan, do I propose it in a worldly way, ready to mean 'no' as well as 'yes'?

But it is God who makes us as well as you secure through union with Christ, and has anointed us,

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

But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate) he has saddened all of you as well.

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

you are well known to be a letter of Christ, written by us as his ministers, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Therefore, we are always of good cheer, and know well that as long as we are at home in the body we are absent from God.

We have good courage, however, and are well pleased - rather to be away from home, out of the body, and to come home, unto the Lord.

Wherefore also we are ambitious - whether at home, or away from home, to be, well-pleasing unto him.

for we have all to appear without disguise before the tribunal of Christ, each to be requited for what he has done with his body, well or ill.

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.

I am not trying to recommend myself to you again. I am giving you ground for speaking well of me, that you may have something to say to those who are constantly prating about external privileges and not concerned about the state of the 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 he saith - In an approved season, have I hearkened unto thee, and, in a day of salvation, have succoured thee; - Lo! now, a well-approved season, Lo! now, a day of salvation:

Through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, yet true, As unknown, yet well-known;

as unknown, and yet well-known, as dying, and lo! we live, as disciplined, and yet not put to death,

I speak not this to your reproach: for I have already assured you, that I am so heartily well affected to you, I could live and die with you.

For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has proved true as well.

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

Now then, you are to the front in everything, in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all zeal, and in love for us ??do come to the front in this gracious enterprise as well.

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

Now here is my advice on what is best to do in this matter: Since you were the first ones to begin [taking up a collection] a year ago, [now you should] not only be doing something [about it], but [you should continue] wanting to do something [as well].

But now finish the task as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have.

For, if the forwardness is set forth, according to what one may have, he is well approved, not according to what one hath not.

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

I am sending with him the well-known brother whose praise for spreading the good news is ringing through all the churches.

wherefore show how much you love them, and how well you deserve the character I gave you, before all the churches.

for I know your eagerness [to promote this cause], and I have [proudly] boasted to the people of Macedonia about it, telling them that Achaia has been prepared since last year [for this contribution], and your enthusiasm has inspired the majority of them [to respond].

So my reason for sending our Brothers is to prevent what we said about you from proving, in this particular matter, an empty boast, and to enable you to be as well prepared as I have been saying that you are.

having this proof of you by such a supply, they will glorify God for your profess'd subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution to them as well as others;

Look at this obvious fact. So-and-so is perfectly sure he 'belongs to Christ'? Well then, let him understand, on second thoughts, that I 'belong to Christ' as much as he does.

If indeed some one is coming to preach another Jesus, whom I did not preach, or you are receiving a Spirit other than you once received, or another gospel which you did not accept before, you would do well to bear with me.

Why? Because I do not love you [or wish you well, or have regard for your welfare]? God knows [that I do]!

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.

Well, it is not of profit to me to boast, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

wherefore I am well pleased in infirmities, in damages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses -- for Christ; for whenever I am infirm, then I am powerful;

The marks of the true Apostle were exhibited among you in constant endurance, as well as by signs, by marvels, and by miracles.

I actually begged Titus to go, and sent the well-known brother with him. Titus did not make any money out of you, did he? Did not he and I act in the same spirit, and take the very same steps?

I told you the last time I was there, and now before returning, I [again] warn those who have sinned in the past as well as the rest, that if I come again I will not spare you [i.e., I will rebuke and discipline you],

Finally, brethren, fare ye well: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace, shall be with you.