2 Corinthians 1:15-24

English Standard Version

¹⁵ Because I was sure of this, ^(A)I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have ^(B)a second ^(C)experience of grace. ¹⁶ I wanted to visit you ^(D)on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans ^(E)according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? ¹⁸ As surely as ^(F)God is faithful, ^(G)our word to you has not been Yes and No. ¹⁹ For ^(H)the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, ^(I)Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but ^(J)in him it is always Yes. ²⁰ For ^(K)all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our ^(L)Amen to God for his glory. ²¹ And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and ^(M)has anointed us, ²² and who has also ^(N)put his seal on us and ^(O)given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.^[a]

²³ But ^(P)I call God to witness against me—it was ^(Q)to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we ^(R)lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm ^(S)in your faith.