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Introduction

¹ Paul, ^(C1)an apostle of ^(C2)Christ Jesus ^(C3)by the will of God, and ^(C4)Timothy our brother, To ^(C5)the church of God which is at ^(C6)Corinth with all the ^(F1)saints who are throughout ^(C7)Achaia:

^2 (C1)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (C1)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and ^(C2)God of all comfort,⁴ who ^(C1)comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in ^(F1)any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.⁵ For just ^(C1)as the sufferings of Christ are ^(F1)ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.⁶ But if we are afflicted, it is ^(C1)for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;⁷ and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that ^(C1)as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

⁸ For ^(C1)we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our ^(C2)affliction which came to us in ^(F1)(C3)Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life;^9 (F1)indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;¹⁰ who ^(C1)delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, ^(F1)He ^(C2)on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,¹¹ you also joining in ^(C1)helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by ^(C2)many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

Paul's Integrity

¹² For our ^(F1)proud confidence is this: the testimony of ^(C1)our conscience, that in holiness and ^(C2)godly sincerity, ^(C3)not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.¹³ For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand ^(C1)until the end;¹⁴ just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in ^(C1)the day of our Lord Jesus.

¹⁵ In this confidence I intended at first to ^(C1)come to you, so that you might ^(F1)twice receive a ^(F2)(C2)blessing;^16 (F1)that is, to ^(C1)pass ^(F2)your way into ^(C2)Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be ^(C3)helped on my journey to Judea.¹⁷ Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose ^(C1)according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?¹⁸ But as ^(C1)God is faithful, ^(C2)our word to you is not yes and no.¹⁹ For ^(C1)the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us--by me and ^(C2)Silvanus and ^(C3)Timothy--was not yes and no, but is yes ^(C4)in Him.²⁰ For ^(C1)as many as are the promises of God, ^(C2)in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is ^(C3)our Amen to the glory of God through us.²¹ Now He who ^(C1)establishes us with you in Christ and ^(C2)anointed us is God,²² who also ^(C1)sealed us and ^(C2)gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a ^(F1)pledge.

²³ But ^(C1)I call God as witness ^(F1)to my soul, that ^(C2)to spare you I did not come again to ^(C3)Corinth.²⁴ Not that we ^(C1)lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are ^(C2)standing firm.