1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy [our] brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2 Grace [be] to you and peace from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, [it is] for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, [it is] for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you [is] stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so [shall ye be] also of the consolation. 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver [us]; 11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift [bestowed] upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also [are] ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. 15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea. 17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? 18 But [as] God [is] true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, [even] by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20 For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, [is] God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
2 Corinthians · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
2 Corinthians 1 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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)