Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble by the consolation with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

And whether we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life:

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly to you.

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted by many.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away;

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 done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

And not as Moses, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man is wasted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven:

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

For if I have boasted any thing to him concerning you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

Now therefore finish the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

And not that only, but who was also chosen by 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:

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved to be diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

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 incited very many.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up before hand your bounty, of which ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of covetousness.

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, with which I think to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even to you.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself.

That which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities.

That he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or what he heareth from me.

For what is that in which ye were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

And lest, when I come again, my God may humble me among you, and I shall bewail many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and lewdness, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.

Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we should be as reprobates.

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