2Corinthians:1

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* From Paul , an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God , and Timothy our brother , to the church of God that is in Corinth , with all the holy people throughout Achaia . * May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be yours ! * Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ! He is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort , * who comforts us in all our suffering , so that we may be able to comfort others in all their suffering , since we ourselves are being comforted by God . * For just as Christ 's sufferings overflow to us , so our comfort overflows through Christ . * If we suffer , it is for your comfort and salvation . If we are comforted , it is for your comfort when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are suffering . * Our hope for you is unshaken , because we know that as you share our sufferings , you also share our comfort . * For we do not want you to be ignorant , brothers , about the suffering we experienced in Asia . We were so crushed beyond our ability to endure that we even despaired of living . * In fact , we felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death , so that we would not rely on ourselves but on the God who raises the dead . * He has rescued us from a terrible death , and he will continue to rescue us . Yes , the one on whom we have set our hope will rescue us again , * as you also help us by your prayers on our behalf . Then prayers of thanksgiving will be uttered by many people on our behalf because of the favor shown us through the prayers of many . * For this is what we boast about : Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with pure motives and godly sincerity , without earthly wisdom but with God 's grace —and especially towards you . * For what we are writing you is nothing more than what you can read and also understand . I hope you will understand completely , * just as you have already understood us partially , so that on the day of our Lord Jesus we can be your reason to boast , even as you are ours . * It was because of this confidence that I planned to come to you first , so that you might receive a double blessing . * I planned to leave you in order to go to Macedonia , and then come back to you from Macedonia , and let you send me on to Judea . * When I planned this , I did not do it lightly , did I ? Are my plans so fickle that I can say “Yes ” and “No ” at the same time ? * As certainly as God is faithful , our word to you is not “Yes ” and “No .” * For God 's Son , Jesus Christ , who was preached among you by us —by me , Silvanus , and Timothy —was not “Yes ” and “No .” But with him it is always “Yes .” * For all God 's promises are “Yes ” in him . And so through him we can say “Amen ,” to the glory of God . * Now the one who makes us —and you as well —secure in union with Christ and has anointed us is God , * who has placed his seal on us and has given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment . * I call upon God as a witness on my behalf that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth . * It is not that we are trying to lord it over your faith . On the contrary , we are workers with you to promote your joy , because you have been standing firm in the faith .

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