2 Corinthians 1

1 Paul [a delegate of Jesus Christ], an apostle of Christ Jesus [the Messiah, the Anointed One] by the will [purpose, intention] of God [the supreme deity], and Timothy [dear to God, a fellow believer] our brother, To the church [assembly, community] of God [the one true deity] in Corinth [a city in ancient Greece], together with [in fellowship, in unity] all the saints [holy ones, set apart] throughout [in every part of] Achaia [a region in ancient Greece]: word study 2 Grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] and peace [harmony, prosperity, freedom from war] to you [as individuals, directly addressed] from God [the one true deity] our Father [the male parent, creator, and sustainer] and the Lord [master, ruler, having authority] Jesus Christ [the anointed one, God’s salvation]. word study 3 Blessed [praiseworthy, worthy of admiration] be the God [the one true deity, Father of all] and Father [the male parent, having a paternal relationship] of our Lord [the supreme authority, Master] Jesus Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], the Father [the source, originator] of compassion [showing pity, mercies] and the God [the all-powerful, all-knowing] of all [every, complete] comfort [encouragement, solace], word study 4 who comforts [gives solace, encourages] us in all [every, each] our troubles [tribulations, afflictions], so that we can comfort [console, exhort] those in any [every kind of] trouble [distress, pressure] with the comfort [consolation, encouragement] we ourselves have received [been comforted, exhorted] from God [the Supreme Being, our Father]. word study 5 For just as [in the same manner, to the same degree] the sufferings [hardships, afflictions] of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] overflow [abound, superabound] to us, so also [in like manner, to the same extent] through [by means of, because of] Christ [the Anointed One] our comfort [encouragement, solace] overflows [abounds, is plentiful]. word study 6 If we are afflicted [suffering, troubled, or oppressed], it is for your comfort [consolation, encouragement] and salvation [rescue, spiritual deliverance]; if we are comforted [exhorted, strengthened], it is for your comfort [solace, reassurance], which accomplishes [works, brings about] in you patient endurance [perseverance, steadfastness] of the same sufferings [hardships, trials] we experience [undergo, suffer]. word study 7 And our hope [steadfast, unwavering] for you is sure [certain, confident], because we know [perceive, understand] that just as [exactly like] you share [are partakers, participate] in our sufferings [hardships, afflictions], so also [in the same way] you will share [participate, have a part] in our comfort [consolation, encouragement]. word study 8 We do not want you to be unaware [ignorant, lacking information], brothers [fellow believers, male siblings], of the hardships [trouble, affliction] we encountered [experienced, suffered] in the province of Asia [the Roman province of Asia Minor]. We were under a burden [weight, pressure] far beyond [exceeding, surpassing] our ability to endure [strength, power], so that we despaired [lost hope, were perplexed] even of life [our physical existence, mortal life]. word study 9 Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence [verdict, judgment] of death [physical or spiritual], in order that [to the end that, so that] we would not trust [rely, have confidence] in ourselves [our own strength, abilities], but [on the contrary, instead] in God [the Almighty, Creator], who raises [brings back to life, resurrects] the dead [those who have physically or spiritually died]. word study 10 He has delivered [rescued, saved] us from such a [so great, mighty] deadly peril [death, mortal danger], and He will deliver [continue to rescue, save] us. In Him [Jesus Christ, our Lord] we have placed our hope [trust, confidence] that He will yet again [still, once more] deliver [rescue, save] us, word study 11 as you [working together, helping] help us by your prayers [supplications]. Then many will give thanks [express gratitude, offer praise] on our behalf for the [divine] favor [gift, blessing] shown us in answer to their [persistent, fervent] prayers. word study 12 And this is our boast [pride, glorying]: Our conscience [moral awareness, inner sense of right and wrong] testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [among all people, in every place], and especially in relation to you, in the holiness [set apart, dedicated to God] and sincerity [genuine, without mixed motives] that are from God [having God’s nature, divine origin]—not in worldly wisdom [fleshly, human understanding], but in the grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] of God. word study 13 For we do not write [nothing beyond your grasp] you anything that is beyond your ability to read [or acknowledge, understand] and understand [to come to know deeply]. And I hope [expect, have confidence] that you will understand [come to know, recognize] us completely [to the end, fully], word study 14 as you have already understood [come to know deeply, recognized] us in part [a portion, a share], so that you may boast [have pride, glory] of us just as [exactly like, in the same way] we will boast [have pride, rejoice] of you in the day [a 24-hour period, a time of reckoning] of our Lord [master, ruler] Jesus [God is salvation]. word study 15 Confident [with trust and faith] of this [confidence and assurance], I planned [was willing and desired] to visit [come and go] you first [previously, before something else], so that you might receive [have and hold] a double [second, additional] blessing [grace, divine favor]. word study 16 I wanted to visit [pass by, come to] you on my way [journey, travels] to Macedonia [a region in Greece], and to return [come again, go back] to you from Macedonia, and then to have you help [send, escort] me on my way [toward, into] to Judea [a region in southern Palestine]. word study 17 When I planned [counselled, made a decision] this, did I do it carelessly [with lightness, frivolously]? Or do I make my plans [purposes, decisions] by human [fleshly, worldly] standards, so as to say “Yes, yes [affirming, agreeing]” when I really mean “No, no [denying, refusing]”? word study 18 But as surely as God [the one true deity, faithful and trustworthy] is faithful [reliable, deserving of trust], our message [word, declaration] to you is not [never, under no circumstances] “Yes [affirmation, agreement]” and [at the same time] “No [denial, refusal].” word study 19 For the Son [a child or descendant] of God [the supreme deity], Jesus Christ [the anointed Messiah], who was proclaimed [preached or heralded] among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not [a strong negative] “Yes [affirming or agreeing]” and “No [denying or refusing],” but in Him [within His nature or character] it has always been [become or come into being] “Yes [a firm affirmation].” word study 20 For all the promises [commitments, assurances] of God [the supreme Deity, Creator] are “Yes [affirmation, agreement]” in Christ [the Messiah, our Savior]. And so through Him [as our Mediator, Intercessor], our “Amen [confirmation, trust]” is spoken to the glory [honor, praise, admiration] of God [the Father, our Heavenly Father]. word study 21 Now it is God [the one true deity, Creator of all] who establishes [confirms, makes stable] both us and you [together, in unity] in Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]. He anointed [consecrated, set apart] us, word study 22 placed His seal [of ownership, authentication] on us, and put His Spirit [the vital principle, breath of God] in our hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] as a pledge [guarantee, down payment] of what is to come [the future promises, blessings]. word study 23 I call [invoke, appeal to] God [the one true deity] as my witness [to testify on my behalf] that it was in order to spare [treat leniently, have pity on] you [out of concern for your well-being] that I did not return [come back, revisit] to Corinth [the city in Greece]. word study 24 Not that we [exercise dominion, lord it over] lord it over your faith [trust, confidence in God], but we are [helpers, co-workers] fellow workers with you for your [deep and lasting] joy, because it is by [the power of, trust in] faith that you stand firm [steadfast, unshakeable]. word study