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PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:
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Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
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Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we also may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, by the very comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
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For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds in Christ.
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Even though we are oppressed, it is for the sake of your consolation and for the sake of your salvation that we are oppressed;
and if we are comforted, it is so that you might be comforted also, to be strength in you that you may be able to bear these sufferings, the same which we also suffer.
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¶ And our hope concerning you is steadfast, for we know that if you are partakers of the sufferings, you are also partakers of the consolation.
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For we would wish you to know, my brethren, about the trouble we had in Asia Minor, for we were greatly oppressed beyond our strength;
insomuch that we despaired of our lives;
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And we decided to die, not trusting in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
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Who delivered us from horrible deaths, and who will, we hope, again deliver us,
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You also helping by your supplications for us, that for his gift bestowed upon us, by means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
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¶ For our joy is this, the testimony of our conscience, in sincerity and in purity with the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in this world, and not through the wisdom of the flesh;
and above all, we have so dealt with you.
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For we write nothing to you except those things which you know and understand, and I trust you will understand them to the end;
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Just as you have understood in part that we are your pride and joy, even as you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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¶ And in this confidence I wished to come to you before, that you might receive grace doubly;
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And to pass by you on my way to Macedonia, and again to come back to you from Macedonia, so that you may accompany me on my way to Judea.
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When I, therefore, was considering this, did I consider it lightly or are the things which I am considering wholly worldly?
Because the answers should have been either yes yes, or no no.
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But as God is true, our word to you was not yes and no.
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For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yes and no, but with him always yes.
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For all the promises of God were in Christ, yes;
therefore by his hand, we are given Amen to the glory of God.
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Now it is God who has confirmed us with you in Christ, and who has anointed us,
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And who has sealed us, and pledged his Spirit in our hearts.
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Moreover I testify to God concerning myself, that it was because I wanted to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.
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Not that we are the masters of your faith, but we are helpers of your joy;
for by faith you stand.