2 Corinthians 1

Praise for deliverance

3 All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion*Literally, ‘the compassions’ or ‘the mercies’. I suppose the point to be that He is the Source of all genuine compassion (you won’t get any from Satan). and God of all encouragement, 4 who encourages us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in whatever affliction, by means of the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.*One important reason God sends suffering our way is so that we can help others later. 5 Because just as the sufferings of the Christ flow over into us,*We get our share of suffering, we participate in Christ’s sufferings—Colossians 1:24 and 1 Peter 4:13. Evidently for God’s Kingdom to increase among men, as we continue to undo Satan’s works in the world, we have to suffer. so also our encouraging overflows, through Christ. 6 Now then, if we are afflicted, it is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, that are effective for enduring the same sufferings that we also are suffering 7 (yes, our hope concerning you is steadfast);*I take it that he is affirming his confidence that they will not cave in under the suffering. if we are encouraged, it also is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, since we know that you will share in the encouragement just as you do in the sufferings.*We cannot stop people from going through their share of suffering, but we can encourage them.