'Paul,1an apostle2of Christ3Jesus4by5the will6of God,7and8Timothy9ourbrother,11To the12church13of God15that is17at18Corinth,19with20all23the21saints22who are25in26the28whole27ofAchaia:29 Grace1to you2and3peace4from5God6our8Father7and9the Lord10Jesus11Christ.12 Blessed1bethe2God3and4Father5of7our8Lord7Jesus9Christ,10the11Father12of mercies14and15God16of all17comfort,18 who comforts2us3in4all5our8affliction,7so that910we12may be able11to comfort13those14who arein15any16affliction,17with18the19comfort20with which21we22ourselves23are comforted22by24God.26 For1as2we9share abundantly in3Christ’s7sufferings,5so10through11Christ13we18share abundantly in14comfort17too.15 If2we are afflicted,3it isfor4your6comfort7and8salvation;9and if1we are comforted,11it isfor12your14comfort,15which [you] experience17when youpatiently endure19the20same21sufferings22that23we25suffer.26 Our4hope3for6you7isunshaken,5for weknow8that9as10you12share in11oursufferings,14you willalso16share in ourcomfort.18 For2we do3not1want3you4to be unaware,5brothers,6of7the8affliction9we10experienced12in13Asia.15For16we were21so17utterly18burdened21beyond19ourstrength20that22we24despaired23of life itself.27 Indeed,1we felt34thatwe had received9the5sentence6of death.8Butthat10was to make us rely1213not11on14ourselves15but16on17God19who raises21the22dead.23 He1delivered5us6from2such3a deadly peril,4and7he will deliver8us.On9him10we have set [our] hope11that12he will deliver15usagain.14 You3also2[must] help1us5by prayer,7so that8many10will give thanks18on19our20behalf19forthe12blessing15granted13us14through16the prayersof many.17 For2our4boast3is6this,5the7testimony8of10our11conscience,10that12we behaved28in29the30world31with13simplicity14and15godly18sincerity,16not20by21earthly23wisdom22but24by25the grace26of God,27and33supremely so32toward34you.35 For2we are4not1writing4to you5anythingother6than7what8you read9and11understand12and14I hope13you will18fully1617understand —18 just as1you did3partially56understand3us4— that7on15the16day17of19our20Lord19Jesus21you9willboast8of us14as11we will10boast ofyou.13 Because1I wassure4of this,2I wanted5to come9to7you8first,6so that10you might have13a second11[experience of] grace.12 I wantedto visit4you3on my way4to5Macedonia,6and7to come11back8to12you13from9Macedonia10and14[have]15you16send [me] on [my] way17to18Judea.20 Was I vacillating578when [I] wanted to do3this?1DoI make my plans11according to12the flesh,13ready to sayYes,20yes21and22No,24no25at the same time? [As surely as]2God4isfaithful,1our8word7to10you11has13not12been13Yes14and15No.16 For4the1Son5of God,3Jesus6Christ,7whom8we12proclaimed13among9you,10Silvanus17and18Timothy19andI,15was21not20Yes22and23No,24but25in27him28it is [always]29Yes.26 For2all1the promises3of God4find theirYes8in5him.6That is why9it isthrough11him12that we utter ourAmen14to God16for17hisglory.18 And2it isGod12who establishes3us4with5you6in7Christ,8and9has anointed10us,11 andwho has3also2put his seal on3us4and5given6us hisSpirit10in11our14hearts13as a7guarantee.8 But2I1call6God5to witness3against7me9—it wasto spare12you13that11I15refrained from14coming15againto16Corinth.17 Not1that2we lord [it] over3your4faith,6but7we work with89you foryour12joy,11for14you stand firm in16yourfaith.15