2 Corinthians 1

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother. To the church of God in Corinth, and to all God's people throughout Achaia:

2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

3Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the Father of tender mercy and all comfort.

4God comforts us in every single hardship we face. Then we can comfort other people facing hard times. We share with them the exact comfort God gave us!

5For just as we share in the many sufferings of Christ, so also through Christ we share in much comfort.

6If we suffer, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which helps you patiently bear the same sufferings we suffer.

7Our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, you also share in our comfort.

8Brothers and sisters, know about the terrible troubles we suffered in Asia. The crushing burden was far beyond our ability to endure. We even gave up hope of staying alive!

9Inside our hearts, we felt sentenced to death. This happened so we would stop trusting in our own strength. Instead, we learned to trust God, who raises the dead!

10He rescued us from such deadly danger, and He will rescue us again. We have set our hope on Him that He will keep on rescuing us,

11as you help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks on our behalf for the gift of grace given to us in answer to many prayers.

12Now this is what we are proud of, and our conscience agrees: we have lived in the world, and especially toward you, with honesty and godly sincerity. We have not depended on worldly wisdom, but on God's grace.

13For we do not write you anything you cannot read and understand. And I hope that you will understand fully,

14as you have understood us in part. Then you can be proud of us, just as we will be proud of you on the day of our Lord Jesus.

15Because I was sure of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might be blessed twice.

16I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and again on my way back, so that you could help me on my journey to Judea.

17Did I change my travel plans carelessly? Do I act like worldly people, saying yes and no at the same time?

18No! As surely as God is faithful, our message never flips back and forth.

19Jesus Christ, God's Son, is not wishy-washy. In Christ, God's answer is always a solid YES!

20Every single promise God made finds its Yes in Christ. Through Christ, we say Amen to bring glory to God.

21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,

22God stamped His official seal of ownership on us. He placed the Holy Spirit inside our hearts. The Spirit is God's down payment, guaranteeing all His future promises!

23I call God as my witness, and I stake my life on it, that it was to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

24Not that we rule over your faith, but we work together with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.