Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God, and Timothy the brother, - unto the assembly of God which is in Corinth, together with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any [kind of] trouble, through the comfort we ourselves have received from Him.

If we meet with trouble, it is for the sake of your consolation and salvation; and, if we find consolation, it is for the sake of the consolation that you will experience when you are called to endure the very sufferings that we ourselves are enduring;

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort.

Who, out of so great a death, rescued us, and will rescue, - unto whom we have turned our hope, that, even yet, he will rescue:

because you are helping me by your prayers for me, so that thanks to God will be given by many on my behalf for God's gracious gift to me in answer to the prayers of many.

For, no other things, are we writing unto you, than what ye are either reading or even acknowledging, - I hope, moreover, that, throughout, ye will acknowledge,

as some of you have already own'd, that I am matter of joy to you, as you will be to me in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ:

Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?

For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me?

and I wrote to you upon that disagreeable subject, that when I came, I might not receive uneasiness from those from whom I ought to receive comfort, being persuaded that you will all think yourselves interested to promote my satisfaction.

So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief.

For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to him clear by your acts.

Now whomever you forgive [for doing] anything [wrong], I will forgive also. For indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if I have [actually] forgiven anything, has been for your sakes in the sight of Christ. [Note: Paul seems to be saying "Since my forgiveness depends on your forgiveness of the man, I am not sure of my forgiveness because I am not sure of yours"].

how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

for if the ministration of condemnation was illustrious, the ministration of righteousness will be much more glorious.

For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

But when it is turned to the Lord, the veil will be taken away.

For God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," [is the one] who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

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

All this is for your sake so that, as his grace spreads, more and more people will give thanks and glorify God.

for the light affliction, which I at present suffer, will be infinitely over-ballanced by an eternal weight of glory;

For I know that if this earthly tent that I live in is taken down, God will provide me a building in heaven to live in, not built by human hands but eternal.

since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

For indeed, we who are in this "tent" groan under its burden, not [wanting] to be uncovered, but to be covered over. Then our mortal body will be swallowed up [i.e., replaced] by [never ending] life.

Now God is the One who has prepared us for this very thing [i.e., the receiving of a new body to live in]. He has [also] given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment. [Note: This refers to the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit as being a guarantee that we will receive the balance of our inheritance in the form of a new body].

We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

So, from now on we will not regard any person by worldly standards, even though we [once] regarded Christ that way. But we will not regard Him [that way] anymore. [Note: Paul seems to be saying that before his conversion he viewed Christ on the basis of His family, His education, His position, etc., but since his conversion he does not view Him that way anymore].

We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed.

And what agreement hath a shrine of God with idols? For, we, are the shrine of a God, that liveth: - even as God hath said - will dwell in them, and walk, and will be their God, and, they, shall be my people.

Wherefore come ye forth out of their midst, and be separated, - saith the Lord, - and, one impure, do not touch; and, I, will give you welcome,

And will become your Father, and, ye, shall become my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Because God, then, will give us such rewards, dear brothers, let us make ourselves clean from all evil of flesh and spirit, and become completely holy in the fear of God.

I do not mean this as a reflection upon you, for as I said before, you will always have a place in my heart whether I live or die.

now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to [the will of] God, so that you suffered loss in no way through us.

For grief according to [the will of] God brings about a repentance [leading] to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death.

For behold how much diligence this very [thing], being grieved according to [the will of] God, has brought about in you: what defense [of yourselves], what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! In everything you have demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

For I can testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, of their own free will, too, they have given help.

And this not as I had expected, but in accordance with the will of God, they first gave themselves to God and to me.

that as you excel in every thing, in faith, in language, mystical knowledge, in all virtue, and in your affection to us; I hope you will excel too in this charitable disposition.

And I will give you my opinion in this matter; for this offering is fitting in your case, considering that you made a beginning before others, not only in the willingness to do something but also in actually doing something a year ago.

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.

For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has not.

that as your present sufficiency supplies their wants, their sufficiency may supply your occasions another way: and thus there will be an equality.

Because he indeed accepted the exhortation, but his own will being more zealous, he went forth to you.

and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;

As for Titus, he is my partner and comrade in the work for you, while these brothers of ours, the representatives of the churches, will bring glory to Christ.

So let them have proof of how you can love, and of my reasons for being proud of you; it will be a proof read by the churches.

But I send the brothers that in this matter my boasting of you may not turn out to be an idle boasting, that you all may be ready, as I have told them you will be,

For if any Macedonians come with me and learn that you are not prepared, we, not to mention you, will be ashamed for having been so over confident.

Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.

Mark this; he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

And God is able to make your every spiritual blessing overflow for you, so that you will always have in every situation an entire sufficiency and so overflow for every good cause;

as the Scripture says, "He scatters his gifts to the poor; His uprightness will never be forgotten."

He who ever supplies seed to the sower, and bread for the food of man, will supply and make plentous your seed, and increase the harvest springing up from your almsgiving.

You yourselves will be enriched with all good things, that you may give ungrudgingly; and your gifts, of which I am the agent, will make men give thanks to God.

Because the ministry of this free-will offering is not only supplying the deficiencies of the saints, but also superabounding through much thanksgiving to God;

They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service.

Moreover, in their prayers for you they will be longing after you, because of the exceeding grace of God that is resting upon you.

I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.

and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.

For even if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave [us] {for building you up and not for tearing you down}, I will not be put to shame,

Let such a man assure himself that my actions, when I am present, will be just like my words in my letters when I am absent.

For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of those who say good things about themselves: but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of themselves with themselves, are not wise.

I, however, will not indulge in undue boasting, but will confine it within the limits of the sphere to which God has assigned me?? sphere which reaches even to you.

We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged,

But I am afraid that just as the serpent by his cunning deceived Eve, your thoughts will be led astray from their single-hearted fidelity to Christ.

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 the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

I am doing and will continue to do this in order to cut away the ground from under those who wish some cause for slander; and that the ground of their boasting may appear as does mine.

It is no great marvel, then, if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

I will say it again: No one should think that I am a fool. But if you do, then treat me like a fool so that I can also boast a little.

Since, many, are boasting after the flesh, I also, will boast;

You are wise, so you will gladly be tolerant of fools.

I am ashamed to say that I was, as it were, so weak in the matter. And yet in whatever respect anyone else is daring to boast -- I am talking like a fool -- I too will dare to boast.

If, to boast, is needful, in the things that concern my weakness, will I boast.

I am forced to boast, though it is unprofitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Of such a one I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast except in my weaknesses.

For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

And at once he said unto me - Sufficient for thee, is my favour, for, my power, in weakness, is made complete. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may spread a tent over me.

Most gladly therefore will I boast rather of my weakness, that over me like a tent may be pitched the power of Christ. That is why I rejoice in weakness, in ill-treatment, in troubles, in persecutions and calamities for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

for in what were ye inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? an injury I hope you will easily forgive.

And now for the third time I am preparing to visit you. I will not be a burden to you, for I am not seeking yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

For my part, I will most gladly spend, yea, and will myself be spent, for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I to be loved the less?

You will admit that I was not a burden to you but you say that I was "crafty" and caught you "by a trick"!

For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, and promiscuity they practiced.

This will be my third visit to you. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be confirmed.

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,"

And that will be the proof, which you are looking for, that the Christ speaks through me. There is no weakness in his dealings with you. No, he shows his power among you.

In fact, He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by God’s power. For we also are weak in Him, yet toward you we will live with Him by God’s power.

But I hope you will find that I abide the proof.

Now we pray to God that you people will not do anything wrong. That is not so that we will appear approved [by God], but so that you will do what is right, even though we may appear to be counterfeits.

This is why I am writing these things while absent, that when I am there I will not use severity, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

Finally, brethren, farewell! Be getting restored, be taking encouragement, be of one mind, live in peace, - and, the God of love and peace, will be with you.