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.

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.