2Corinthians 1
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.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G55473All 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.G5216G2532G4943G1162G5228G2257G2443G5486G1519G2248G1537G4183G4383G2168G5228G1223G4183G225712We 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
2Corinthians 2
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.G1063G1537G4183G2347G2532G4928G2588G1125G5213G1223G4183G1144G3756G2443G3076G235G2443G1097G26G3739G2192G4056G1519G52095I 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.G2192G3756G425G3450G4151G3165G2147G3361G5103G3450G80G235G657G846G1831G1519G310914But 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
2Corinthians 3
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!G756G3825G4921G1438G1508G5535G5613G5100G1992G4956G4314G5209G2228G4956G1537G52162The 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.G5210G2075G2257G1992G1449G1722G2257G2588G1097G2532G314G5259G3956G4443Clearly, 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.G5319G3754G2075G1992G5547G1247G5259G2257G1449G3756G3188G235G4151G2198G2316G3756G1722G4109G3035G235G1722G4560G4109G25884We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ.G1161G5108G4006G2192G1223G5547G4314G23165It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.G3756G3754G2070G2425G575G1438G3049G5100G5613G1537G1438G235G2257G2426G1537G23166He 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.G3739G2532G2427G2248G2427G1249G2537G1242G3756G1121G235G4151G1063G1121G615G1161G4151G22277The 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.G1161G1487G1248G2288G1722G1121G1795G1722G3037G1096G1722G1391G5620G5207G2474G1410G3361G816G1519G4383G3475G1223G1391G846G4383G3588G26738Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?G4459G1248G3780G1248G4151G2071G3123G1722G13919If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!G1063G1487G1248G2633G1391G4183G3123G1248G1343G4052G1722G139110In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way.G1063G2532G1392G3761G1392G1722G5129G3313G1752G1391G523511So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!G1063G1487G2673G1223G1391G4183G3123G3306G1722G139112Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.G3767G2192G5108G1680G5530G4183G395413We 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.G2532G3756G2509G3475G5087G2571G1909G1438G4383G4314G5207G2474G816G3361G816G1519G5056G267314But 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.G235G846G3540G4456G1063G891G4594G3306G846G2571G3361G343G1909G320G3820G1242G3748G2673G1722G554715Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.G235G2193G4594G2259G3475G314G2571G2749G1909G846G258816But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.G1161G2259G302G1994G4314G2962G2571G401417For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.G1161G2962G2076G4151G1161G3757G4151G2962G1563G165718So 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
2Corinthians 4
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
