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:

who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

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;

My hopes for you are unshaken. For I know that just as surely as you share my sufferings, just so surely you will share my comfort.

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

You must help me by your prayers, so that many will give thanks to God on my behalf for the blessing granted me in answer to many prayers.

For what I am writing to you is only what you can read and understand, and I hope that you will understand it fully,

as some of you have come to understand me, and that you will understand that you have a right to be proud of me, as I have of you, on the Day of our Lord Jesus.

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 sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad 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.

But whom you favor I also will favor; for what favor I have shown, if I have shown any favor, has been for your sakes, in the presence of Christ,

will not the Spirit's ministry have even more glory?

For if the service connected with condemnation had such splendor, the service resulting in right standing with God will surely far surpass it in splendor.

For if that which has passed away was with glory, much more will that which continues be in glory.

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;

sure that he who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will raise me also like Jesus, and bring me side by side with you into his presence.

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.

Of course, if we do put it on, we will not be found without a body.

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by 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 are] giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found [with it],

How agreeth the temple of God with images? And ye are the temple of the living God, as said God, "I will dwell among them, and walk among them, and will be their God: and they shall be my people."

Wherefore, "Come out from among them, and separate yourselves," saith the Lord, "and touch none unclean thing: so will I receive you,

and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be unto me 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.

I am glad of it now, not because you had such sorrow, but because your sorrow led you to repentance, for you took your sorrow in accordance with the will of God, so that you should not suffer any loss at all from me.

For the sorrow that comes in accordance with the will of God results in repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets, but the sorrow the world produces results in death.

For see what this very sorrow, suffered in accordance with the will of God, has done for you! How earnest it has made you, how concerned to clear yourselves, how indignant, how alarmed, how much it made you long to see me, how loyal to me, how determined to punish the offender! At every point you have cleared yourselves in the matter.

I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability.

And this they did, not as we looked for; but gave their own selves first to the Lord, and after unto us by the will of God:

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 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.

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.

At the present time your abundance [will be] for their need, in order that their abundance may also be for your need, so that there may be equality,

He welcomed my request and eagerly went to visit you by his own free will.

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 so that our pride in you may not have a fall in this matter, but you may be all ready as I have told them you will;

for if some people from Macedonia come with me, and find that you are not ready, it will humiliate me??o say nothing of you??or having expressed such confidence.

So I have thought it necessary to ask these brothers to go on to you ahead of me, to arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so as to have it ready, like an expression of your good will, not of your avarice.

Remember this: The man who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and the man who sows generously will reap generously.

God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that you will always have enough for every situation, and ample means for every good enterprise:

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

He who supplies the sower with seed and so with bread to eat will supply you with seed, and multiply it and enlarge the harvest of your uprightness.

You will grow rich in every way, so that through me you can show perfect liberality that will make men thank God for it.

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;

For through the test you get by doing this service you will continue praising God for your fidelity to your confession of the good news of Christ, and for the liberality of your contributions to them and all others;

then they will long for you and pray for you, because of the extraordinary favor God has shown you.

I beg you that when I come I will not need to be courageous by daring to oppose some people who think that we are living according to the flesh.

Once your obedience is complete, we will be ready to reprimand every type of disobedience.

For suppose I do boast a little too much of my authority??hich the Lord gave me to build you up, not to pull you down?? will not have to blush for it.

Such people had better understand that when I arrive and take action I will do just as I say I will in my letters when I am far away.

For we will not presume to put ourselves on the level, or compare ourselves with some who vaunt themselves; but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, have no understanding.

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.

I don't assume to myself the credit of other men's labours in another province, but hope, that when your faith is increased, the bounds now prescribed will be enlarged by you yet farther;

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.

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.

As surely as the truth of the Messiah is in me, my boasting will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.

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:

So it is nothing strange if his servants also masquerade as servants of uprightness. But their doom will fit their actions.

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.

Seeing that many rejoice after the flesh, I will rejoice also.

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

To my shame I must admit that I was too weak for that sort of thing. But whatever anyone else dares to boast of?? am playing the part of a fool?? will dare to boast of too.

If I must needs rejoice, I will rejoice of mine infirmities.

It is not expedient for me, no doubt, to rejoice; Nevertheless I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Of this man will I rejoice, of myself will I not rejoice, except it be of mine infirmities -

Though if I do choose to boast, I will not be such a fool, for I will only be telling the truth. But I will refrain from it, for I do not want anyone to be influenced by the wonderful character of these revelations to think more of me than is justified by my words or conduct.

and he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect through weakness." Very gladly therefore will I rejoice of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me.

Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I am well pleased with infirmities, with injuries, with necessities, with persecutions, with distresses for Christ; 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.

Behold now, the third time, I am ready to come unto you, and yet will I not be grievous unto you. For I seek not yours, but you. Also the children ought not to lay up for the fathers and mothers: but the fathers and mothers for the children.

I will very gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your souls: though the more I love you, the less I am loved again.

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

I am afraid that I may come and somehow find you not as I want to find you, and that you may find me not as you want to find me. Perhaps there will be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly conduct.

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

This will be the third time I am coming to you. "Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses."

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;

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.

Though he was crucified in weakness, he lives by God's power. We are weak with him, but by God's power we will live for you.

Now I hope that you will learn that I am standing the test.

We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong not to show that we have not failed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed.

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, brothers, goodbye! Practice the perfecting of your characters, keep listening to my appeals, continue thinking in harmony and living in peace, and the loving, peace-giving God will be with you.