2 Corinthians 1; 2 Corinthians 2; 2 Corinthians 3; 2 Corinthians 4

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother: to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia:

2 Grace unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort:

4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we also may be able to comfort them who are in all distress, by the exhortation wherewith we also are exhorted by God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us: so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.

6 Now whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation: or whether we be exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

7 That our hope for you may be steadfast: knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.

8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation which came to us in Asia: that we were pressed out of measure above our strength, so that we were weary even of life.

9 But we had in ourselves the answer of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead.

10 Who hath delivered and doth deliver us out of so great dangers: in whom we trust that he will yet also deliver us,

11 You helping withal in prayer for us. That for this gift obtained for us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf.

12 For our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity of heart and sincerity of God, and not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have conversed in this world: and more abundantly towards you.

13 For we write no other things to you than what you have read and known. And I hope that you shall know unto the end.

14 As also you have known us in part, that we are your glory: as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 And in this confidence I had a mind to come to you before, that you might have a second grace:

16 And to pass by you into Macedonia: and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be brought on my way towards Judea.

17 Whereas then I was thus minded, did I use lightness? Or, the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that there should be with me, It is, and It is not?

18 But God is faithful: for our preaching which was to you, was not, It is, and It is not.

19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Sylvanus and Timothy, was not: It is and It is not. But, It is, was in him.

20 For all the promises of God are in him, It is. Therefore also by him, amen to God, unto our glory.

21 Now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ and that hath anointed us, is God:

22 Who also hath sealed us and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.

23 But I call God to witness upon my soul that to spare you, I came not any more to Corinth: not because we exercise dominion over your faith:

24 (1:23) but we are helpers of your joy. For in faith you stand.

1 But I determined this with myself, to come to you again in sorrow.

2 For if I make you sorrowful, who is he then that can make me glad, but the same who is made sorrowful by me?

3 And I wrote this same to you: that I may not, when I come, have sorrow upon sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice: having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears: not that you should be made sorrowful: but that you might know the charity I have more abundantly towards you.

5 And if any one have caused grief, he hath not grieved me: but in part, that I may not burden you all.

6 To him who is such a one, this rebuke is sufficient, which is given by many.

7 So that on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

8 Wherefore, I beseech you that you would confirm your charity towards him.

9 For to this end also did I write, that I may know the experiment of you, whether you be obedient in all things.

10 And to whom you have pardoned any thing, I also. For, what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned any thing, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ:

11 That we be not overreached by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his devices.

12 And when I was come to Troas for the gospel of Christ and a door was opened unto me in the Lord,

13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but bidding them farewell, I went into Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be to God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and manifesteth the odour of his knowledge by us in every place.

15 For we are the good odour of Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in them that perish.

16 To the one indeed the odour of death unto death: but to the others the odour of life unto life. And for these things who is so sufficient?

17 For we are not as many, adulterating the word of God: but with sincerity: but as from God, before God, in Christ we speak.

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?

2 You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:

3 Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written: not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God: not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart.

4 And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.

5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.

6 Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter but in the spirit. For the letter killeth: but the spirit quickeneth.

7 Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious (so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance), which is made void:

8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?

9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.

10 For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified by reason of the glory that excelleth.

11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

12 Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence.

13 And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.

14 But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).

15 But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

16 But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

17 Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 But we all, beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministration, according as we have obtained mercy, we faint not.

2 But we renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness nor adulterating the word of God: but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience, in the sight of God.

3 And if our gospel be also hid, it is hid to them that are lost,

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord: and ourselves your servants through Jesus.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us.

8 In all things we suffer tribulation: but are not distressed. We are straitened: but are not destitute.

9 We suffer persecution: but are not forsaken. We are cast down: but we perish not.

10 Always bearing about in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies.

11 For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake: that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death worketh in us: but life in you.

13 But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written: I believed, for which cause I have spoken; we also believe. For which cause we speak also:

14 Knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and place us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes: that the grace, abounding through many, may abound in thanksgiving unto the glory of God.

16 For which cause we faint not: but though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation worketh for us above measure, exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen, are eternal.