2 Corinthians · Bible in Basic English
2 Corinthians 1 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the purpose of God, and Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:
1 Paul, 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:
1 Παῦλος, ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ, καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Κορίνθῳ σὺν τοῖς ἁγίοις πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Ἀχαΐᾳ·
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort;
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
3 Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ πατὴρ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν καὶ Θεὸς πάσης παρακλήσεως,
4 Who gives us comfort in all our troubles, so that we may be able to give comfort to others who are in trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
4 who 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.
4 ὁ παρακαλῶν ἡμᾶς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι ἡμᾶς παρακαλεῖν τοὺς ἐν πάσῃ θλίψει διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως ἧς παρακαλούμεθα αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ·
5 For as we undergo more of the pain which Christ underwent, so through Christ does our comfort become greater.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.
5 ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὕτω διὰ Χριστοῦ περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις ἡμῶν.
6 But if we are troubled, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which takes effect through your quiet undergoing of the same troubles which we undergo:
6 But 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.
6 εἴτε δὲ θλιβόμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας τῆς ἐνεργουμένης ἐν ὑπομονῇ τῶν αὐτῶν παθημάτων ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάσχομεν, καὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς ἡμῶν βεβαία ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν·
7 And our hope for you is certain; in the knowledge that as you take part in the troubles, so you will take part in the comfort.
7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.
7 εἴτε παρακαλούμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας, εἰδότες ὅτι ὥσπερ κοινωνοί ἐστε τῶν παθημάτων, οὕτω καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως.
8 For it is our desire that you may not be without knowledge of our trouble which came on us in Asia, that the weight of it was very great, more than our power, so that it seemed that we had no hope even of life:
8 For 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.
8 Οὐ γὰρ θέλομεν ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, ὑπὲρ τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν τῆς γενομένης ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, ὅτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ἐβαρήθημεν ὑπὲρ δύναμιν, ὥστε ἐξαπορηθῆναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦ ζῆν·
9 Yes, we ourselves have had the answer of death in ourselves, so that our hope might not be in ourselves, but in God who is able to give life to the dead:
9 Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
9 ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου ἐσχήκαμεν, ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ἐγείροντι τοὺς νεκρούς·
10 Who gave us salvation from so great a death: on whom we have put our hope that he will still go on to give us salvation;
10 who 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,
10 ὃς ἐκ τηλικούτου θανάτου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς καὶ ῥύεται, εἰς ὃν ἠλπίκαμεν ὅτι καὶ ἔτι ῥύσεται,
11 You at the same time helping together by your prayer for us; so that for what has been given to us through a number of persons, praise may go up to God for us from all of them.
11 you 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.
11 συνυπουργούντων καὶ ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῇ δεήσει, ἵνα ἐκ πολλῶν προσώπων τὸ εἰς ἡμᾶς χάρισμα διὰ πολλῶν εὐχαριστηθῇ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.
12 For our glory is in this, in the knowledge which we have that our way of life in the world, and most of all in relation to you, has been holy and true in the eyes of God; not in the wisdom of the flesh, but in the grace of God.
12 For 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.
12 Ἡ γὰρ καύχησις ἡμῶν αὕτη ἐστί, τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς συνειδήσεως ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐν ἁπλότητι καὶ εἰλικρινείᾳ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ σαρκικῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν χάριτι Θεοῦ ἀνεστράφημεν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, περισσοτέρως δὲ πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
13 For in our letters we say no other things to you, but those which you are reading, and to which you give agreement, and, it is my hope, will go on doing so to the end:
13 For we write no other things to you than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end—
13 οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα γράφομεν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἃ ἀναγινώσκετε ἢ καὶ ἐπιγινώσκετε, ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἕως τέλους ἐπιγνώσεσθε,
14 Even as you have been ready, in part, to say that we are your glory, in the same way that you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
14 as also you acknowledged us in part—that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
14 καθὼς καὶ ἐπέγνωτε ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ μέρους, ὅτι καύχημα ὑμῶν ἐσμεν, καθάπερ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ.
15 And being certain of this, it was my purpose to come to you before, so that you might have a second grace;
15 In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,
15 Καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πεποιθήσει ἐβουλόμην πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν πρότερον, ἵνα δευτέραν χάριν ἔχητε,
16 And by way of Corinth to go into Macedonia, and from there to come back again to you, so that you might send me on my way to Judaea.
16 and 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.
16 καὶ δι᾽ ὑμῶν διελθεῖν εἰς Μακεδονίαν, καὶ πάλιν ἀπὸ Μακεδονίας ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν.
17 If then I had such a purpose, did I seem to be changing suddenly? or am I guided in my purposes by the flesh, saying, Yes, today, and, No, tomorrow?
17 When 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?”
17 τοῦτο οὖν βουλόμενος μήτι ἄρα τῇ ἐλαφρίᾳ ἐχρησάμην; ἢ ἃ βουλεύομαι, κατὰ σάρκα βουλεύομαι, ἵνα ᾖ παρ᾽ ἐμοὶ τὸ ναὶ ναὶ καὶ τὸ οὒ οὔ;
18 As God is true, our word to you is not Yes and No.
18 But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”
18 πιστὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν ὁ πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἐγένετο ναὶ καὶ οὔ.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we were preaching among you, even I and Silvanus and Timothy, was not Yes and No, but in him is Yes.
19 For 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.”
19 ὁ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ υἱὸς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ ἐν ὑμῖν δι᾽ ἡμῶν κηρυχθείς, δι᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ Σιλουανοῦ καὶ Τιμοθέου, οὐκ ἐγένετο ναὶ καὶ οὔ, ἀλλὰ ναὶ ἐν αὐτῷ γέγονεν·
20 For he is the Yes to all the undertakings of God: and by him all the words of God are made certain and put into effect, to the glory of God through us.
20 For 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.
20 ὅσαι γὰρ ἐπαγγελίαι Θεοῦ, ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ ναὶ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ ἀμήν, τῷ Θεῷ πρὸς δόξαν δι᾽ ἡμῶν.
21 Now he who makes our faith strong together with you, in Christ, and has given us of his grace, is God;
21 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
21 ὁ δὲ βεβαιῶν ἡμᾶς σὺν ὑμῖν εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ χρίσας ἡμᾶς Θεός,
22 And it is he who has put his stamp on us, even the Spirit, as the sign in our hearts of the coming glory.
22 who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
22 ὁ καὶ σφραγισάμενος ἡμᾶς καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν.
23 But God is my witness that it was in pity for you that I did not come to Corinth at that time.
23 But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.
23 Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν, ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον.
24 Not that we have authority over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy: for it is faith which is your support.
24 We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.
24 οὐχ ὅτι κυριεύομεν ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλὰ συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς ὑμῶν· τῇ γὰρ πίστει ἑστήκατε.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
Places
Corinth
Corinth straddled the isthmus linking mainland Greece to the Peloponnese — a hub of commerce and immorality. Paul founded the church here; a Roman bema traditionally linked to his hearing before…
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Timothy 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; Colossians 1:1–2
- 2 Romans 1:7; Ephesians 6:23; Philippians 1:2; Philemon 3; 1 Thessalonians 1:1
- 3 Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 15:5–6; Psalm 86:5; Micah 7:18
- 4 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Isaiah 51:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 2 Corinthians 7:6–7; Isaiah 40:1
- 5 Colossians 1:24; Philippians 3:10; Philippians 1:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 2 Corinthians 4:10–11
- 6 2 Timothy 2:10; 2 Corinthians 4:15–18; 2 Corinthians 1:4; Romans 8:28; Philippians 1:19
- 7 Romans 8:17–18; 2 Thessalonians 1:4–7; James 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:3–4; James 1:2–4
- 8 2 Corinthians 4:7–12; 1 Corinthians 4:8; 1 Corinthians 15:32; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Acts 19:23–35
- 9 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Hebrews 11:19; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10; Romans 4:17–25
- 10 1 Timothy 4:10; 2 Peter 2:9; Psalm 34:19; 1 Samuel 17:37; Romans 15:31
- 11 Philippians 1:19; 2 Corinthians 4:15; Acts 12:5; Colossians 4:3; Hebrews 13:18
- 12 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 2:17; James 3:13–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:10; Hebrews 13:18
- 13 Philemon 6; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 13:6; 2 Corinthians 5:11
- 14 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20; Philippians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Philippians 4:1
- 15 Romans 15:29; Romans 1:11; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 11:34
- 16 1 Corinthians 16:5–7; Acts 19:21–22; Acts 21:5
- 17 Matthew 5:37; James 5:12; 2 Corinthians 10:2–3; 2 Corinthians 1:18–20; John 8:15
- 18 1 Corinthians 1:9; Revelation 3:7; Revelation 3:14; John 7:28; 2 Corinthians 11:31
- 19 Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 1:17; 2 John 9; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 2:18
- 20 1 John 2:24–25; Galatians 3:22; Revelation 7:12; Hebrews 13:8; Ephesians 1:6
- 21 1 John 2:27; 1 John 2:20; 1 Peter 5:10; Romans 8:9; Isaiah 61:1
- 22 Ephesians 4:30; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:13–14; John 6:27; Romans 8:14–16
- 23 Galatians 1:20; 1 Corinthians 4:21; Romans 1:9; 2 Corinthians 13:10; 2 Corinthians 13:2
- 24 1 Peter 5:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1; 2 Timothy 2:24–26; Romans 5:2; Philippians 1:25–26
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
It is meet to enquire, first, why to the former Epistle he adds a second: and what can be his reason for thus beginning with the mercies and consolation of God. Why then does he add a second Epistle?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
For it is no small fruit, O Lord my God, that by many thanks should be given to Thee on our behalf, and that by many Thou shouldest be entreated for us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Wherefore Paul also said, "I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that we were pressed out of measure beyond strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life;" and after this again, "Who delivered us from so great deaths." Signifying therefore hereby, that they ought to be confident, though the waves rise high, and that He orders all things for good, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Put off, by confession, the old man, which waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit, that ye may put on the new man, which is renewed according to knowledge of Him that created him. Get you the earnest of the Holy Spirit through faith, that ye may be able to be received into the everlasting habitations.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
How then is it possible to conceive that the judgment is accomplished without the Holy Spirit, wherein the word points out that He is Himself the prize of the righteous, when instead of the earnest is given that which is perfect, and the first condemnation of sinners, when they are deprived of that which they seem to have?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)