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

Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Fathers and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

who comforteth us in all our distress, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any distress by the comfort wherewith we are ourselves comforted by God;

yea, we ourselves had within ourselves the sentence of death, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead;

For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and the sincerity which is of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yea and nay.

For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not found yea and nay, but in him hath been found yea.

For as to all the promises of God, in him is yea, and in him amen, to the glory of God through us.

Now he who maketh us with you steadfast in Christ, and anointed us, is God;

But I call upon God as a witness against my soul, that it was to spare you that I came no more to Corinth;

But thanks be to God, who always exhibiteth us in triumph in Christ, and manifesteth through us the odor of the knowledge of him in every place.

For we are to God a sweet odor of Christ among those who are being saved, and those who are perishing;

For we are not as the many, who adulterate the word of God; but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

since ye are manifestly shown to be a letter of Christ by means of our service, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart.

And such confidence as this have we through Christ toward God;

not that we are able of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God;

but have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God.

in whom the God of this world blinded the understandings of the unbelieving, so that they cannot behold the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

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

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not of us;

For all things are for your sakes, that the grace abounding by means of the greater number may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

For we know that, if our earthly tenthabitation be destroyed, we have a building provided by God, a house not made with hands, everlasting, in the heavens.

Now he that hath prepared us for this very thing is God; who also gave to us the Spirit as the pledge.

For we must all be made manifest before the judgmentseat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he did, whether good or bad.

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but to God we have been made manifest, and I hope have been made manifest in your consciences also.

For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for God; or whether we are in our sound mind, it is for you.

And all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself by Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

seeing that in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

We then are ambassadors for Christ; as though God were exhorting you by us, in behalf of Christ we entreat you, Be reconciled to God.

As fellowworkers, then, with him, we also exhort you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain;

in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, and true;

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God said: "I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Having then these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

But God, that comforteth those who are brought low, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorrowful, but that your sorrow produced repentance. For the sorrow which ye felt had respect to God, that ye might in nothing receive injury from me.

For sorrow before God worketh repentance to salvation never to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

For behold this very thing, that your sorrow had respect to God; what earnestness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what longing desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what readiness to punish! In every thing ye showed yourselves to be pure in the matter.

Although, then, I wrote to you, it was not on account of him that did the wrong, nor of him who suffered wrong; but that your earnestness for us might be made manifest to you in the sight of God.

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been bestowed in the churches of Macedonia;

and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God;

But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus;

Each one, as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make every blessing abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work;

while ye are enriched in everything to all liberality, which worketh out through us thanksgiving to God;

for the ministration of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but also overfloweth through many thanksgivings to God;

while by the proof afforded by this ministration they glorify God for your obedience to your profession in regard to the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution in regard to them and in regard to all;

while with supplication for you they long after you on account of the exceeding grace of God to you.

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

(for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds,)

casting down reasonings, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every purpose into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

But we will not boast of things that are without our measure, but according to the measure of the line which God allotted us,a measure to reach even to you.

Did I commit an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God without charge?

Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth!

But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off occasion from those who wish for an occasion, in order that in the matter of which they boast they may be found even as we.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I am not lying.

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago,whether in the body, I know not, or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth,such a one caught up even to the third heaven.

And I know such a man, whether in the body, or without the body, I know not; God knoweth,

Have ye been thinking this long time that we are defending ourselves to you? It is before God in Christ that we are speaking; but all things, beloved, for your edification.

and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many of those who have sinned already, and did not repent of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they committed.

For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God; for we also are weak in him, but we shall live together with him by the power of God toward you.

Now we pray to God that ye do no evil; not in order that we may appear approved, but that ye may do what is good, though we be as unapproved.

Finally, brethren, farewell! Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the partaking of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.