Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy. Unto the congregation of God, which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

which comforteth us in all our tribulation, insomuch that we are able to comfort them which are troubled, in whatsoever tribulation it be, with the same comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Whether we be troubled for your consolation and salvation, which salvation showeth her power in that ye suffer the same afflictions which we also suffer; or whether we be comforted for your consolation and salvation:

Brethren, I would not have you ignorant of our trouble, which happened unto us in Asia. For we were grieved out of measure passing strength, so greatly that we despaired even of life.

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 -

and which delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver - on whom we trust, that yet hereafter he will deliver us,

When I thus wise was minded: Did I use lightness? Or think I carnally those things which I think, that with me should be "yea, yea," and "nay, nay?"

For God's son Jesus Christ which was preached among you by us - that is to say, by me and Silvanus and Timothy - was not "yea" and "nay": but in him it was "Yea."

For it is God which establisheth us and you in Christ, and hath anointed us,

which hath also sealed us, and hath given the earnest of the spirit into our hearts.

For if I make you sorry: who is it that should make me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

For in great affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears: not to make you sorry, but that ye might perceive the love which I have most specially unto you.

Thanks be unto God which always giveth us the victory in Christ, and openeth the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.

For we are unto God the sweet savor of Christ, both among them that are saved, and also among them which perish:

For we are not as many are, which chop and change with the word of God: but even out of pureness, and by the power of God and in the sight of God, so speak we in Christ.

Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is understood and read of all men;

which hath made us able to minister the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

If the ministration of death through the letters figured in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of countenance - which glory nevertheless is done away -

For no doubt that which was there glorified is not once glorified in respect of this exceeding glory.

Then if that which is destroyed was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth be glorious.

and do not as Moses - which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel should not see for what purpose that served, which is put away.

But their minds were blinded. For until this day remaineth the same covering, untaken away, in the old testament when they read it - which in Christ is put away:

in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest should shine unto them the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God.

For it is God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, which hath shined in our hearts, for to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

For we which live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might appear in our mortal flesh.

For we know that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us, also, by the means of Jesus, and shall set us with you;

For our exceeding tribulation, which is momentary and light, prepareth an exceeding and eternal weight of glory unto us,

while we look not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen. For things which are seen, are temporal: but things which are not seen are eternal.

And herefore sigh we, desiring to be clothed with our mansion which is from heaven:

He that hath ordained us for this thing, is God: which very same hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit.

We praise not ourselves again unto you, but give you an occasion to rejoice of us, that ye may have somewhat against them, which rejoice in the face, and not in the heart.

and that he died for all, because that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves: but unto him which died for them and rose again.

Nevertheless, all things are of God, which hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the office to preach the atonement.

for he hath made him to be sin for us, which knew no sin, that we by his means should be that righteousness which before God is allowed.

Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that did hurt, neither for his cause that was hurt: but that our good mind which we have toward you in the sight of God, might appear unto you

I am therefore not now ashamed, though I boasted myself to him of you. For as all things which I preached unto you are true, even so is our boasting - that I boasted myself to Titus withal - found true.

I do you to wit, brethren, of the grace of God, which is given in the congregations of Macedonia:

Now therefore, as ye are rich in all parts, in faith, in word, in knowledge, in all ferventness, and in love, which ye have to us: even so see that ye be plenteous in this benevolence.

Ye know the liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ, which though he were rich, yet for your sakes became poor: that ye through his poverty might be made rich.

And I give counsel hereto: For this is expedient for you, which began - not to do only, but also to will - a year ago.

Now therefore perform the deed, that as there was in you a readiness to will, even so ye may perform the deed, of that which ye have.

agreeing to that which is written, "He that gathered much had never the more abundance, and he that gathered little, had nevertheless."

Thanks be unto God, which put in the heart of Titus the same good mind toward you.

We have sent with them a brother of ours, whom we have oft times proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent. The great confidence which I have in you

hath caused me this to do: partly for Titus' sake - which is my fellow, and helper as concerning you - partly because of others which are our brethren, and the messengers of the congregations, and the glory of Christ.

This yet remember, how that he which soweth little, shall reap little: and he that soweth plenteously shall reap plenteously.

ye may be made rich in all singleness, which causeth through us, thanksgiving unto God.

which praise God for the obedience of your professing the gospel of Christ, and for your singleness, in distributing to them, and to all men.

I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and softness of Christ, which when I am present among you, am of no reputation, but am bold toward you being absent.

I beseech you that I need not to be bold when I am present - with that same confidence, wherewith I am supposed to be bold - against some which repute us as though we walked carnally.

And though I should boast myself somewhat more of our authority which the Lord hath given us to edify and not to destroy you, it should not be to my shame.

For we cannot find in our hearts to make ourselves of the number of them, or to compare ourselves to them, which laud themselves. Nevertheless, while they measure themselves with themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they understand nought.

But we will not rejoice above measure: but according to the quantity of the measure which God hath distributed unto us, a measure that reacheth even unto you.

and to preach the gospel in those regions which are beyond you, and not to rejoice of that which is by another man's measure prepared already.

For if he that cometh to you preach another Jesus than him whom we preached, or if ye receive another spirit than that which ye have received, either another gospel than that ye have received; ye might right well have been content.

And when I was present with you and had need, I was grievous to no man. For that which was lacking unto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I kept myself that I should not be grievous to you: and so will I keep myself.

Nevertheless what I do, that will I do to cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like unto us in that wherein they rejoice:

And beside the things which outwardly happen unto me, I am cumbered daily and do care for all congregations.

The God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

I know a man in Christ above fourteen years agone - whether he were in the body I cannot tell, or whether he were out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth - which was taken up into the third heaven.

how that he was taken up into paradise, and heard words not to be spoken, which no man can utter.

Did I defraud you by any of them which I sent unto you?

I fear lest when I come again, God bring me low among you, and I be constrained to bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed.

I told you before, and tell you before, and as I said when I was present with you the second time, so write I now, being absent, to them which in time past have sinned, and to all others: that if I come again, I will not spare;

seeing that ye seek experience of Christ which speaketh in me, which among you is not weak, but is mighty in you.

I desire before God that ye do none evil, not that we should seem commendable: but that ye should do that which is honest, and let us be counted as lewd persons.

Therefore write I these things being absent, lest when I am present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me, to edify, and not to destroy.