2 Corinthians 1

Paul's Greeting and Thanksgiving for God's Comfort

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

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

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

⁴who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

⁵For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

⁶But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

⁷Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.

⁸For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

⁹Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

¹⁰who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us,

¹¹you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

Paul's Defense of His Integrity and Travel Plans

¹²For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

¹³For we write no other things to you than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end—

¹⁴as also you acknowledged us in part—that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

¹⁵In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,

¹⁶and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

¹⁷When I therefore planned this, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”

¹⁸But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”

¹⁹For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.”

²⁰For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.

²¹Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,

²²who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

²³But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.

²⁴We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

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Paul opens his second letter to the Corinthians by emphasizing God as the source of comfort in all afflictions, explaining how his own sufferings enable him to comfort others. He describes a severe trial in Asia that brought him near death, teaching him to rely on God rather than himself. Paul then defends his integrity regarding his changed travel plans, asserting that just as God's promises in Christ are reliable ('Yes and Amen'), so too is Paul's word to the Corinthians trustworthy.

Context

This opening chapter sets a conciliatory tone after the tensions reflected in 1 Corinthians, establishing Paul's credibility before addressing more difficult issues in subsequent chapters.

Key Themes

Outline

1-2
Apostolic Greeting Paul and Timothy greet the Corinthian church and all saints in Achaia with grace and peace.
3-7
God the Source of Comfort Paul blesses God as the Father of mercies who comforts in affliction so believers can comfort others.
8-11
Paul's Near-Death Experience in Asia Paul describes a severe trial that taught him to trust in God who raises the dead rather than in himself.
12-14
Paul's Sincere Conduct Paul boasts in his conscience that he has behaved with godly sincerity, not worldly wisdom.
15-17
Defense of Changed Travel Plans Paul explains his original intention to visit Corinth twice and defends against charges of fickleness.
18-22
God's Faithfulness and Reliable Promises Paul affirms that just as God's promises in Christ are 'Yes and Amen,' his own word is trustworthy.

Paul's Greeting and Thanksgiving for God's Comfort

1:1–1:11

epistle prayer hopeful

Paul opens 2 Corinthians with thanksgiving for God's comfort in affliction, explaining how suffering enables believers to comfort others. He describes his recent severe trials in Asia and God's deliverance.

person_contrast

Paul's typical epistolary themes of grace and fellowship yield to an unprecedented concentration on "comfort" (paraklesis) appearing ten times, transforming suffering into a ministry tool.

Paul's Defense of His Integrity and Travel Plans

1:12–1:24

epistle instruction contemplative

Paul defends his integrity and explains his travel plans, emphasizing God's faithfulness and that all God's promises find their 'Yes' in Christ. He assures the Corinthians of his sincere motives and God's anointing through the Spirit.

person_contrast

Paul's defense uniquely combines "grace" with "witness" and "testimony," departing from his typical pairing of grace with fellowship themes across his other letters.

Insight Character Study

Paul's typical epistolary themes of grace and fellowship yield to an unprecedented concentration on "comfort" (paraklesis) appearing ten times, transforming suffering into a ministry tool.

Insight Character Study

Paul's defense uniquely combines "grace" with "witness" and "testimony," departing from his typical pairing of grace with fellowship themes across his other letters.