¶ Paul¹, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy² our brother, unto the church³ of God which is at Corinth, with all⁴ the saints which are in all Achaia⁵:

Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

¶ Blessed⁷ be God, even the Father of our⁸ Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies⁹, and the God¹⁰ of all comfort;

Who comforteth¹¹ us in all our tribulation, that¹² we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

For as¹³ the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so¹⁴ our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

And whether¹⁵ we be afflicted, it is¹⁶ for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual¹⁷ in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

¶ And our¹⁸ hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye¹⁹ are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our²⁰ trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch²¹ that we despaired even of life:

But we had the sentence²² of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God²³ which raiseth the dead:

¶²⁴Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Ye also helping²⁵ together by prayer for us, that²⁶ for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

¶ For our rejoicing²⁷ is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity²⁸ and godly²⁹ sincerity, not³⁰ with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have³¹ had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

For we write none other things unto you, than³² what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

As also ye have acknowledged us in part³³, that³⁴ we are your³⁵ rejoicing, even³⁶ as ye also are ours in the³⁷ day of the Lord Jesus.

¶ And in³⁸ this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that³⁹ ye might have a second benefit⁴⁰;

And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come⁴¹ again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.

When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness⁴²? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according⁴³ to the flesh, that with me there should be yea⁴⁴ yea, and nay nay?

But as⁴⁵ God is true, our word⁴⁶ toward you was not yea and nay.

For the Son⁴⁷ of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even⁴⁸ by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

¶ For all⁵⁰ the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen⁵¹, unto⁵² the glory of God by us.

Now he which stablisheth⁵³ us with you in Christ, and hath anointed⁵⁴ us, is God;

Who hath also sealed⁵⁵ us, and given the earnest⁵⁶ of the Spirit in our hearts.

Moreover I call⁵⁷ God for a record upon my soul, that⁵⁸ to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

Not for that⁵⁹ we have dominion over your faith, but are⁶⁰ helpers of your joy: for⁶¹ by faith ye stand.