2 Corinthians 1:1–8

GREETING

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,^a and Timothy^b our^A brother:

To the church of God at Corinth,^c with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.^d

²Grace to you and peace^e from God our Father^f and the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE GOD OF COMFORT

³Blessed be^g the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies^h and the God of all comfort.^{i 4}He comforts us in all our affliction,^B so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵For just as the sufferings^j of Christ^k overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.^{l 6}If we are afflicted,^m it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.^{n 7}And our hope^o for you is firm, because we know that as you share^p in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.

⁸We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia.^q We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength^r—so that we even despaired^s of life itself.