Greeting and the God of All Comfort
Study note
Paul begins with a standard apostolic greeting but quickly moves into a profound meditation on suffering and comfort. He presents a theology of consolation in which God comforts believers in their afflictions so that they can, in turn, comfort others who suffer. This establishes the letter's central theme: divine strength manifested through human weakness.
1 This letter comes from Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, along with our brother Timothy. We are writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of God's people throughout Achaia. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 We pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give you grace and peace. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 All praise to God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is a merciful Father and a God who fills us with comfort. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Whenever we go through hard times, he comforts us. And because of that, we are able to comfort other people when they go through hard times too, using the same comfort God gave us. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 The more we share in the sufferings of Christ, the more we also share in the comfort that comes through Christ. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 When we go through tough times, it helps you find comfort and be saved. When we receive comfort, that also helps you, giving you the strength to endure the same kinds of struggles we face. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 We have a strong hope for you. We know that since you share in our suffering, you will also share in our comfort. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Deliverance from Deadly Peril
Study note
Paul discloses a life-threatening crisis he experienced in the province of Asia, so severe that he despaired of life itself. Rather than hiding this vulnerability, he uses it to illustrate that God rescues those who trust in him rather than in their own strength. He also affirms the power of intercessory prayer, asking the Corinthians to join in praying for his continued deliverance.
8 Friends, we want to tell you about the terrible trouble we went through in Asia. It was so heavy that we could not bear it. We honestly thought we were going to die. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 We truly felt like our death sentence had been signed. But this happened so we would stop depending on ourselves and start depending on God, who can even bring the dead back to life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 God pulled us out of that deadly danger, and he will do it again. We have placed our hope in him, trusting that he will keep saving us. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 And you can help by praying for us. When many people pray and God answers, many people will also give thanks to God for the way he rescued us. Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
Paul's Integrity and Changed Plans
Study note
Paul defends his integrity against accusations of being unreliable because he changed his travel itinerary. He insists that his conduct has been guided by God's grace rather than worldly cleverness, and that his change of plans was motivated by a desire to spare the Corinthians a painful confrontation. He grounds his faithfulness in Christ, in whom all God's promises find their certain fulfillment, and affirms that he seeks to serve their joy rather than dominate their faith.
12 Here is something we are proud of: Our conscience is clear because we have been honest and sincere in everything we do. We have not relied on human cleverness but on God's grace, and this is especially true in how we treated you. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
13 We are not writing anything to you that you cannot read and understand. I am confident that you will fully understand us, For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
14 just as you have partly understood us already. When the Lord Jesus comes back, you will be proud of us, and we will be proud of you. As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 Because I was so sure of this, I made plans to visit you first, so you could receive a double blessing. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
16 My plan was to visit you on my way to Macedonia. Then I would visit you again on my way back. After that, you could help send me on to Judaea. And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judæa.
17 When I made this plan, was I being wishy-washy? Do I make plans like people in the world do, saying "Yes" and "No" at the same time? When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
18 God is faithful, and just like him, our message to you was not a mixed-up "yes and no." But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19 The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me, Silvanus, and Timotheus, was never "yes and no." With him it has always been a clear "yes." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20 Every promise God has ever made finds its answer in Jesus. He is the "yes" to all of them. Therefore through him we say "Amen" to bring glory to God. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
21 God is the one who makes both us and you stand strong in our connection to Christ. He has anointed us and set us apart. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 He has also stamped us with his seal of ownership and placed his Spirit in our hearts as proof of what is still to come. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 I call on God as my witness -- I put my life on the line for this. The reason I did not come back to Corinth was to spare you from a painful visit. Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 We are not trying to boss you around when it comes to your faith. Instead, we are working alongside you to help you experience joy, because your faith is already making you stand strong. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.