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.G3972G652G2424G5547G1223G2307G2316G2532G5095G80G1577G2316G3588G5607G1722G2882G4862G3956G40G3588G5607G1722G3650G8822May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547
God Offers Comfort to All
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.G2128G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G5547G3962G3628G2532G2316G3956G38744He 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.G3588G3870G2248G1909G3956G2257G2347G1519G2248G1410G3870G1722G3956G2347G1223G3874G3739G3870G846G3870G5259G23165For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.G3754G2531G3804G5547G4052G1519G2248G3779G2257G3874G2532G4052G1223G55476Even 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.G1161G1535G2346G5228G5216G3874G2532G4991G3588G1754G1722G5281G846G3804G3739G2249G2532G3958G1535G3870G5228G5216G3874G2532G49917We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.G2532G2257G1680G5228G5216G949G1492G3754G5618G2075G2844G3804G3779G2532G38748We 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.G1063G2309G3756G80G50G5209G50G5228G2257G2347G3588G1096G2254G1722G773G3754G2596G916G5236G5228G1411G5620G2248G1820G2532G21989In 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.G235G846G2192G610G2288G1722G1438G3363G3982G3363G3982G1909G1438G5600G235G1909G2316G3588G1453G349810And 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.G3739G4506G2248G1537G5082G2288G2532G4506G1519G3739G1679G3754G4506G2532G2089G450611And 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
Paul’s Change of Plans
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.G1063G2257G2746G2076G3778G3142G2257G4893G3754G1722G572G2532G2316G1505G3756G1722G4559G4678G235G1722G5485G2316G390G1722G2889G1161G4056G4314G520913Our 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,G1063G1125G3756G243G5213G235G2228G3739G314G2228G2532G1921G1161G1679G3754G1921G2532G2193G505614even 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.G2531G2532G1921G2248G575G3313G3754G2070G5216G2745G2509G5210G2532G2257G1722G2250G2962G242415Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice?G2532G5026G4006G1014G2064G4314G5209G4386G2443G2192G1208G548516first on my way to Macedonia and again when I returned from Macedonia. Then you could send me on my way to Judea.G2532G1330G1223G5216G1519G3109G2532G2064G3825G575G3109G4314G5209G2532G5259G5216G4311G1519G244917You 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”?G1011G3767G1011G5124G1011G3385G686G5530G1644G2228G3739G1011G1011G2596G4561G2443G3844G1698G5600G3483G3483G2532G3756G375618As surely as God is faithful, my word to you does not waver between “Yes” and “No.”G1161G2316G4103G3754G2257G3056G4314G5209G1096G3756G3483G2532G375619For 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.G1063G5207G2316G2424G5547G3588G2784G1722G5213G1223G2257G1223G1700G2532G4610G2532G5095G1096G3756G3483G2532G3756G235G1722G846G1096G348320For 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.G1063G3745G1860G2316G1722G846G3483G2532G1722G846G281G4314G1391G2316G1223G225721It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,G1161G950G2248G4862G5213G1519G5547G2532G5548G2248G231622and 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.G3588G4972G2532G4972G2248G2532G1325G728G4151G1722G2257G258823Now 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.G1161G1473G1941G2316G3144G1909G1699G5590G3754G5339G5216G2064G3765G1519G288224But 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.G1161G2919G5124G1683G2064G3361G2064G3825G4314G5209G1722G30772For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved.G1063G1487G1473G3076G5209G3076G5101G2076G2532G2165G3165G2165G1508G3076G1537G17003That 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.G2532G1125G5124G846G5213G3363G2064G2192G3077G575G3739G3165G1163G5463G3982G1909G5209G3956G3754G1699G5479G2076G5216G39564I 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
Forgiveness for the Sinner
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.G1161G1536G3076G3076G3756G3076G1691G235G575G3313G3363G1912G3363G1912G5209G39566Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough.G2425G5108G3778G2009G3588G5259G41197Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement.G5620G5121G5209G3123G5483G2532G3870G3381G4458G5108G2666G4055G30778So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.G1352G3870G5209G2964G26G1519G8469I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions.G1063G1519G5124G2532G1125G2443G1097G1382G5216G1487G2075G5255G1519G395610When 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,G1161G3739G5483G5100G1473G2532G2532G1063G1473G5483G1536G3739G5483G1223G5209G1722G4383G554711so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.G3363G5259G4567G4122G1063G3756G50G846G354012When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.G1161G2064G1519G5174G1519G5547G2098G2532G2374G455G3427G1722G296213But 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
Ministers of the New Covenant
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.G1161G5485G2316G3842G2358G2248G2358G1722G5547G2532G5319G3744G846G1108G1223G2257G1722G3956G511715Our 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.G3754G2070G2316G2175G5547G1722G4982G2532G1722G62216To 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?G3739G3303G3744G2288G1519G2288G1161G3739G3744G2222G1519G2222G2532G5101G2425G4314G502317You 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
149Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.H1984H3050H7891H3068H2319H7892H8416H6951H26232O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.H3478H8055H6213H1121H6726H1523H44283Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.H1984H8034H4234H2167H8596H36584For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.H3068H7521H5971H6286H6035H34445Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.H2623H5937H3519H7442H49046Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands—H7319H410H1627H6374H2719H30277to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,H6213H5360H1471H8433H38168to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains,H631H4428H2131H3513H3525H12709to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. Praise the Lord!H6213H4941H3789H1926H2623H1984H3050
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