2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11

New King James Version

Paul’s Sincerity

¹² For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in ^[a]simplicity and ^(A)godly sincerity, ^(B)not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. ¹³ For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end ¹⁴ (as also you have understood us in part), ^(C)that we are your boast as ^(D)you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Sparing the Church

¹⁵ And in this confidence ^(E)I intended to come to you before, that you might have ^(F)a second benefit— ¹⁶ to pass by way of you to Macedonia, ^(G)to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan ^(H)according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? ¹⁸ But as God is ^(I)faithful, our ^[b]word to you was not Yes and No. ¹⁹ For ^(J)the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, ^(K)Silvanus, and ^(L)Timothy—was not Yes and No, ^(M)but in Him was Yes. ^20 (N)For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and ^(O)has anointed us is God, ²² who ^(P)also has sealed us and ^(Q)given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

²³ Moreover ^(R)I call God as witness against my soul, ^(S)that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. ²⁴ Not ^(T)that we ^[c]have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for ^(U)by faith you stand.

Paul Urges Forgiveness

2 But I determined this within myself, ^(V)that I would not come again to you in sorrow. ² For if I make you ^(W)sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

Forgive the Offender

³ And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, ^(X)I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, ^(Y)having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much ^[d]affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, ^(Z)not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

⁵ But ^(AA)if anyone has caused grief, he has not ^(AB)grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. ⁶ This punishment which was inflicted ^(AC)by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ^7 (AD)so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹ For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are ^(AE)obedient in all things. ¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For ^[e]if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.