1 Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s will, and the brother Timotheus, to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia. 2 Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement; 4 who encourages us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to encourage those who are in any tribulation whatever, through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged of God. 5 Because, even as the sufferings of the Christ abound towards us, so through the Christ does our encouragement also abound. 6 But whether we are in tribulation, it is for your encouragement and salvation, wrought in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer,

7 (and our hope for you is sure;) or whether we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement and salvation: knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the encouragement. 8 For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened to us in Asia, that we were excessively pressed beyond our power, so as to despair even of living. 9 But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver; 11 ye also labouring together by supplication for us that the gift towards us, through means of many persons, may be the subject of the thanksgiving of many for us.

12 For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity before God, (not in fleshly wisdom but in God’s grace,) we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly towards you. 13 For we do not write other things to you but what ye well know and recognise; and I hope that ye will recognise to the end, 14 even as also ye have recognised us in part, that we are your boast, even as yeare ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

15 And with this confidence I purposed to come to you previously, that ye might have a second favour; 16 and to pass through to Macedonia by you, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be set forward by you to Judaea. 17 Having therefore this purpose, did I then use lightness? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to flesh, that there should be with me yea yea, and nay nay? 18 Now God is faithful, that our word to you is not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him. 20 For whatever promises of God there are, in him is the yea, and in him the amen, for glory to God by us. 21 Now he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God, 22 who also has sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23 But I call God to witness upon my soul that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth. 24 Not that we rule over your faith, but are fellow-workmen of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

1 Paulus, Kristuse Jeesuse apostel Jumala tahtel, ja vend Timoteos,

Korintoses olevale Jumala kogudusele ja kõigile Ahhaias asuvaile Jumala pühadele:

2 Armu ja rahu teile Jumalalt, meie Isalt, ning Issandalt Jeesuselt Kristuselt!

3 Kiidetud olgu Jumal, meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse Isa, halastuse Isa, kõige lohutuse Jumal. 4 Tema lohutab meid igas meie ahistuses, et meie omakorda võiksime lohutada neid, kes on mis tahes ahistuses lohutusega, mida me saame Jumalalt. 5 Sest nii nagu me oleme osalised rohketes Kristuse kannatustes, nõnda saame me ka rohkesti lohutust Kristuse kaudu. 6 Kui nüüd meid ahistatakse, siis sünnib see teie julgustuseks ja päästmiseks. Ja kui meid julgustatakse, siis sünnib see teie julgustuseks nende samade kannatuste talumises, mida meiegi kannatame. 7 Ja meie lootus teile on kindel, sest me teame, et nii nagu te olete saanud osa meie kannatustest, saate osa ka meie lohutusest.

8 Me ei taha, vennad ja õed, et teile jääks teadmata, millist ahistust me Aasia provintsis kogesime. Meid rõhuti nii rängalt üle meie jõu, nii et me ei lootnud pääseda eluga. 9 Tõepoolest, tundsime, et meile on langetatud surmaotsus. Ent see õpetas meid lootma mitte eneste peale, vaid Jumala peale, kes surnud üles äratab. 10 Tema päästis meid sellest surmavast ohust ja päästab uuesti. Tema peale oleme lootnud, et ta päästab ka edaspidi, 11 kui ka teie meie eest palvetades appi tulete. Siis paljud tänavad Jumala käest tulnud armuanni eest, mis anti meile paljudele palvetele vastates.

12 Meie kiitlemine on see: meie südametunnistus kinnitab, et me oleme elanud selles maailmas, ja eriti suhetes teiega, jumalikus pühaduses ja siiruses. Seda oleme me teinud mitte ilmalikus tarkuses, vaid Jumala armus. 13 Me ei kirjuta teile midagi sellist, mida te ei suudaks lugeda ega mõista. Ma loodan, 14 et kui te seni olete meid mõistnud vaid osaliselt, siis te jõuate ka täieliku mõistmiseni, nõnda et te võite Issanda Jeesuse päeval kiidelda meist, nagu meie kiitleme teist.

15 Selle usaldusega ma kavatsesin tulla esiteks teie juurde, et te saaksite teistkordselt armu, 16 ja teie kaudu jätkata teed Makedooniasse ja Makedooniast tulla tagasi teie juurde ning lasta teil mind saata teele Juudamaale. 17 Selline oli mu plaan. Kas ma toimisin kergemeelselt? Või teen ma oma plaane meelt muutes, öeldes kõigepealt „jah-jah", ja siis „ei-ei"?

18 Kuid Jumal on ustav, nii et meie kõne teile ei ole ühtaegu „jah" ja „ei". 19 Sest Jumala Poeg Jeesus Kristus, keda meie – mina, Siilas ja Timoteos – oleme teie seas kuulutanud, ei olnud ühtaegu „jah" ja „ei", vaid temas on alati olnud „jah". 20 Sest nii palju kui on Jumala tõotusi, on Jeesuses „jah" neile kõigile. Seepärast ütleme meiegi tema abiga „aamen!" Jumala kiituseks. 21 Jumal on see, kes on kinnitanud meid koos teiega Kristusesse. Tema on meid võidnud 22 ja oma pitseriga märgistanud ning andnud oma Vaimu pandi meie südamesse.

23 Olgu Jumal mulle tunnistajaks minu hinge juures, et teie säästmise pärast jätsin ma Korintosesse tulemata. 24 Me ei taha valitseda teie usu üle, sest usus te püsite niigi, vaid me töötame koos teiega, et te võiksite olla rõõmsad.