1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.G3972G652G2424G5547G1223G2307G2316G2532G5095G80G1577G2316G3588G5607G1722G2882G4862G3956G40G3588G5607G1722G3650G882 2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547 3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.G2128G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G5547G3962G3628G2532G2316G3956G3874 4He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.G3588G3870G2248G1909G3956G2257G2347G1519G2248G1410G3870G1722G3956G2347G1223G3874G3739G3870G846G3870G5259G2316 5For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.G3754G2531G3804G5547G4052G1519G2248G3779G2257G3874G2532G4052G1223G5547 6Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.G1161G1535G2346G5228G5216G3874G2532G4991G3588G1754G1722G5281G846G3804G3739G2249G2532G3958G1535G3870G5228G5216G3874G2532G4991 7We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.G2532G2257G1680G5228G5216G949G1492G3754G5618G2075G2844G3804G3779G2532G3874 8We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.G1063G2309G3756G80G50G5209G50G5228G2257G2347G3588G1096G2254G1722G773G3754G2596G916G5236G5228G1411G5620G2248G1820G2532G2198 9In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.G235G846G2192G610G2288G1722G1438G3363G3982G3363G3982G1909G1438G5600G235G1909G2316G3588G1453G3498 10And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.G3739G4506G2248G1537G5082G2288G2532G4506G1519G3739G1679G3754G4506G2532G2089G4506 11And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.G5216G2532G4943G1162G5228G2257G2443G5486G1519G2248G1537G4183G4383G2168G5228G1223G4183G2257 12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.G1063G2257G2746G2076G3778G3142G2257G4893G3754G1722G572G2532G2316G1505G3756G1722G4559G4678G235G1722G5485G2316G390G1722G2889G1161G4056G4314G5209 13Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can’t understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us,G1063G1125G3756G243G5213G235G2228G3739G314G2228G2532G1921G1161G1679G3754G1921G2532G2193G5056 14even if you don’t understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.G2531G2532G1921G2248G575G3313G3754G2070G5216G2745G2509G5210G2532G2257G1722G2250G2962G2424 15Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice?G2532G5026G4006G1014G2064G4314G5209G4386G2443G2192G1208G5485 16first on my way to Macedonia and again when I returned from Macedonia. Then you could send me on my way to Judea.G2532G1330G1223G5216G1519G3109G2532G2064G3825G575G3109G4314G5209G2532G5259G5216G4311G1519G2449 17You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”?G1011G3767G1011G5124G1011G3385G686G5530G1644G2228G3739G1011G1011G2596G4561G2443G3844G1698G5600G3483G3483G2532G3756G3756 18As surely as God is faithful, my word to you does not waver between “Yes” and “No.”G1161G2316G4103G3754G2257G3056G4314G5209G1096G3756G3483G2532G3756 19For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says.G1063G5207G2316G2424G5547G3588G2784G1722G5213G1223G2257G1223G1700G2532G4610G2532G5095G1096G3756G3483G2532G3756G235G1722G846G1096G3483 20For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.G1063G3745G1860G2316G1722G846G3483G2532G1722G846G281G4314G1391G2316G1223G2257 21It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,G1161G950G2248G4862G5213G1519G5547G2532G5548G2248G2316 22and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.G3588G4972G2532G4972G2248G2532G1325G728G4151G1722G2257G2588 23Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.G1161G1473G1941G2316G3144G1909G1699G5590G3754G5339G5216G2064G3765G1519G2882 24But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.G3756G3754G2961G5216G4102G235G2070G4904G5216G5479G1063G4102G2476
2So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit.G1161G2919G5124G1683G2064G3361G2064G3825G4314G5209G1722G3077 2For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved.G1063G1487G1473G3076G5209G3076G5101G2076G2532G2165G3165G2165G1508G3076G1537G1700 3That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful.G2532G1125G5124G846G5213G3363G2064G2192G3077G575G3739G3165G1163G5463G3982G1909G5209G3956G3754G1699G5479G2076G5216G3956 4I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.G1063G1537G4183G2347G2532G4928G2588G1125G5213G1223G4183G1144G3756G2443G3076G235G2443G1097G26G3739G2192G4056G1519G5209 5I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me.G1161G1536G3076G3076G3756G3076G1691G235G575G3313G3363G1912G3363G1912G5209G3956 6Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough.G2425G5108G3778G2009G3588G5259G4119 7Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement.G5620G5121G5209G3123G5483G2532G3870G3381G4458G5108G2666G4055G3077 8So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.G1352G3870G5209G2964G26G1519G846 9I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions.G1063G1519G5124G2532G1125G2443G1097G1382G5216G1487G2075G5255G1519G3956 10When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit,G1161G3739G5483G5100G1473G2532G2532G1063G1473G5483G1536G3739G5483G1223G5209G1722G4383G5547 11so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.G3363G5259G4567G4122G1063G3756G50G846G3540 12When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.G1161G2064G1519G5174G1519G5547G2098G2532G2374G455G3427G1722G2962 13But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.G2192G3756G425G3450G4151G3165G2147G3361G5103G3450G80G235G657G846G1831G1519G3109 14But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.G1161G5485G2316G3842G2358G2248G2358G1722G5547G2532G5319G3744G846G1108G1223G2257G1722G3956G5117 15Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.G3754G2070G2316G2175G5547G1722G4982G2532G1722G622 16To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?G3739G3303G3744G2288G1519G2288G1161G3739G3744G2222G1519G2222G2532G5101G2425G4314G5023 17You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.G1063G2070G3756G5613G4183G2585G3056G2316G235G5613G1537G1505G235G5613G1537G2316G2714G2316G2980G1722G5547
3Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not!G756G3825G4921G1438G1508G5535G5613G5100G1992G4956G4314G5209G2228G4956G1537G5216 2The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.G5210G2075G2257G1992G1449G1722G2257G2588G1097G2532G314G5259G3956G444 3Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.G5319G3754G2075G1992G5547G1247G5259G2257G1449G3756G3188G235G4151G2198G2316G3756G1722G4109G3035G235G1722G4560G4109G2588 4We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ.G1161G5108G4006G2192G1223G5547G4314G2316 5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.G3756G3754G2070G2425G575G1438G3049G5100G5613G1537G1438G235G2257G2426G1537G2316 6He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.G3739G2532G2427G2248G2427G1249G2537G1242G3756G1121G235G4151G1063G1121G615G1161G4151G2227 7The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.G1161G1487G1248G2288G1722G1121G1795G1722G3037G1096G1722G1391G5620G5207G2474G1410G3361G816G1519G4383G3475G1223G1391G846G4383G3588G2673 8Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?G4459G1248G3780G1248G4151G2071G3123G1722G1391 9If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!G1063G1487G1248G2633G1391G4183G3123G1248G1343G4052G1722G1391 10In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way.G1063G2532G1392G3761G1392G1722G5129G3313G1752G1391G5235 11So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!G1063G1487G2673G1223G1391G4183G3123G3306G1722G1391 12Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.G3767G2192G5108G1680G5530G4183G3954 13We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.G2532G3756G2509G3475G5087G2571G1909G1438G4383G4314G5207G2474G816G3361G816G1519G5056G2673 14But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.G235G846G3540G4456G1063G891G4594G3306G846G2571G3361G343G1909G320G3820G1242G3748G2673G1722G5547 15Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.G235G2193G4594G2259G3475G314G2571G2749G1909G846G2588 16But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.G1161G2259G302G1994G4314G2962G2571G4014 17For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.G1161G2962G2076G4151G1161G3757G4151G2962G1563G1657 18So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.G1161G2249G3956G343G4383G2734G1391G2962G3339G846G1504G575G1391G1519G1391G2509G575G4151G2962
4Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.G1223G5124G2192G5026G1248G2531G1653G1573G3756 2We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.G235G550G2927G152G3361G4043G1722G3834G3366G1389G3056G2316G1389G235G5321G225G4921G1438G4314G3956G444G4893G1799G2316 3If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.G1161G1499G2257G2098G2076G2572G2076G2572G1722G622 4Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.G1722G3739G2316G5127G165G5186G3540G571G1519G3361G5462G1391G2098G5547G3739G2076G1504G2316G826G846 5You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.G1063G2784G3756G1438G235G5547G2424G2962G1161G1438G5216G1401G1223G2424G1223 6For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.G3754G2316G3588G2036G5457G2989G1537G4655G3739G2989G1722G2257G2588G4314G5462G1108G1391G2316G1722G4383G2424G5547 7We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.G1161G2192G5126G2344G1722G3749G4632G2443G5236G1411G5600G2316G2532G3361G1537G2257 8We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.G2346G1722G3956G235G3756G4729G639G235G3756G1820 9We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.G1377G235G3756G1459G2598G235G3756G622 10Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.G3842G4064G1722G4983G3500G2962G2424G2443G2222G2532G2424G5319G1722G2257G4983 11Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.G2249G3588G2198G3860G104G1063G3860G1519G2288G1223G2424G1223G2443G2222G2532G2424G5319G1722G2257G2349G4561 12So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.G5620G3303G2288G1754G1722G2254G1161G2222G1722G5213 13But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”G1161G2192G846G4151G4102G2596G1125G4100G1352G2980G2249G2532G4100G2532G1352G2980 14We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.G1492G3754G1453G2962G2424G1453G2248G2532G1223G2424G2532G3936G4862G5213 15All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.G1063G3956G1223G5209G1223G2443G4121G5485G4052G1223G2169G4119G4052G1519G1391G2316 16That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.G1352G1573G3756G235G1499G2257G1854G444G1311G235G2081G341G2250G2532G2250 17For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!G1063G2257G1645G2347G3588G3910G2716G2254G2596G5236G1519G5236G166G922G1391 18So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.G4648G2257G4648G3361G4648G991G235G991G3361G991G1063G991G4340G1161G991G3361G991G166
Dublin, OH
G3972
