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2 Corinthians 1

1 - Paul, an apostle of ChristJesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at 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 mercies and God of all comfort;
4 - who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 - For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.
6 - But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
7 - Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.
8 - For we don't desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.
9 - Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
10 - who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;
11 - you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.
12 - For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
13 - For we write no other things to you, than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end;
14 - as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 - In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit;
16 - and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.
17 - When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the "Yes, yes" and the "No, no?"
18 - But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not "Yes and no."
19 - For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "Yes."
20 - For however many are the promises of God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore also through him is the "Amen", to the glory of God through us.
21 - Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;
22 - who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
23 - But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.
24 - Not that we control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.
2 Corinthians Images and Notes

The Book of 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

The New Testament - A Brief Overview

Painting of the Apostle Paul by Rembrandt - 1657
Painting of Paul the Apostle by Rembrandt - 1657

Introduction to The Book of 2 Corinthians

Brief Summary. Titus brought such good news to Paul that he was moved to express to the Corinthians his joy when he heard of their change of heart. Paul also defends his apostleship in this letter, as well as his conduct among the Corinthians, which were both under strong criticism.

Summary of The Book of 2 Corinthians

Background. Around the year 52 AD the apostle Paul was reaching the end of his second missionary journey, and he had just spent about a year and a half in Corinth where he made many disciples (Acts 18:10, 11). Later on his third missionary journey he spent about three years in Ephesus, from about 54 to 57 AD. During this time Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians from the city of Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8). It was around this time that Paul almost lost his life during a great riot (Acts 19). He left Ephesus and came to Macedonia and he was meeting with many churches, and he was anxiously waiting to hear from Corinth, and finally Titus arrived having just returned from Corinth and gave Paul the good news that his letter was received with joy (II Corinthians 7:6) yet there were some leaders in the Corinthian church who were questioning Paul's apostolic authority. It was at this time that Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthian church. He gave it to Titus to hand-deliver (2 Corinthians 8:6, 17), and he would follow soon after.

Purpose. The message of Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians was to defend his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ, and to remind them that it was he that founded the church in Corinth, and he had every right to instruct them in the ways of the Lord concerning conduct and gathering together as a church of Jesus Christ. When Paul finally arrived in Corinth he spent all winter there (Acts 20:2, 3). While he was in Corinth he wrote his epistle to the church in Rome.

Authorship. Paul the Apostle as in 1 Corinthians.

Date. 2 Corinthians was written soon after 1 Corinthians, possibly even a few months.

Place of Writing. 2 Corinthians was written from some city in Macedonia where Paul had gone to receive Titus' report concerning the "severe letter" that was written by him.

Outline of the Book of 2 Corinthians

Paul's Testimony - Chapters 1:1-2:13
Glory of Christian Ministry -  Chapters 2:4-7:16
Glory of Giving - Chapters 8:1-9:15
Defense of the Christian Ministry 10:1-13:14

Jesus written in Hebrew
The Name Jesus In Ancient Hebrew Text
"Yeshua" in First Century Hebrew Text. This is how the name "Jesus" would have been written in ancient Hebrew documents. The four letters or consonants from right to left are Yod, Shin, Vav, Ayin (Y, SH, OO, A). Jesus is the Greek name for the Hebrew name Joshua or Y'shua which means "The LORD or Yahweh is Salvation".

2 Corinthians Maps and Resources

Map of the Roman Empire (14 A.D.) - This map reveals the Roman Empire during the time shortly after the birth of Jesus, in 14 AD at the time of the death of Augustus. The order which prevailed in this extensive empire, the good military roads, and the use of Koine Greek as the general language of culture throughout the area were among the factors which multiplied the rapid spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Color Map)

Map of Paul's First Missionary Journey (48 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia Minor where Paul visited in his first missionary journey. Around 48 AD, in the springtime, Paul and his companions Barnabas and Mark were sent on a mission from the church in Antioch. This would be the first of Paul's Missionary Journey's. (Color Map)

Map of Paul's Second Missionary Journey (51 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia and Greece where Paul visited in his second missionary journey. Paul re-visits a couple cities in Asia, one of which was Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead a few years earlier. He later has a vision that leads him over to Greece and Paul and his companions travel and minister in various cities in Greece (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth. Later Paul returns to Ephesus and finally to Caesarea and Antioch. (Color Map)

Map of Paul's Third Missionary Journey (54 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia and Greece where Paul visited in his third missionary journey. On Paul's third missionary journey he returned to the cities he had first visited on his first missionary journey. During this time he decided to remain in Ephesus for about 3 years, and this city was the main focus of his activities and an important Christian community (Acts 19). (Color Map)

Map of the New Testament World - This map reveals the "Nations" within the ancient world during the first century A.D., the time of the New Testament. The map includes the areas of Israel, Asia, Greece, and Italy. (Color Map)

Map of New Testament Greece This map reveals the cities within Greece in the ancient world during the first century A.D.,The map includes the principal cities of Greece like: Athens, Corinth, and Thessalonica, and provinces like Macedonia and Achaia. (Color Map)