Paul Greets the Corinthians (Acts 18:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–3)
1 UDB I, Paul, together with Timothy our brother, write this letter to you. Christ Jesus sent me to serve him and to obey God's will. We are sending this letter to those who come together as God's people in the city of Corinth; we are also sending it to the all Christians who live in the region of Achaia—people whom God has set apart for himself. BSB BSB: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
2 UDB May God give you the free gifts of his love and peace—these things that come from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God of All Comfort 3 UDB May we always praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who does acts of kindness for us and who always comforts us. BSB BSB: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 UDB God comforts us when we go through any painful trial. His comfort heals our lives so we can give away that very same comfort to other people who are suffering. BSB BSB: who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 UDB Just as we share the many sufferings of Christ, which are beyond all measure, we also experience through Christ comfort that cannot be measured. BSB BSB: For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 UDB So whenever we experience sufferings, it is so God may comfort you and rescue you from danger. Whenever God comforts us, it is so you can be comforted even more, so he can teach you to wait for God when you suffer in the same way we suffered. BSB BSB: If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which accomplishes in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we experience.
7 UDB We are certain about what will happen to you; because you suffer like we suffer, God will also comfort you, as he does us. BSB BSB: And our hope for you is sure, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.
8 UDB Brothers and sisters in Christ, we want you to know about the trouble we had in the province of Asia. That trouble gave us such pain that we could not bear it. We were almost certain that we were going to die. BSB BSB: We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9 UDB They pronounced the sentence of death on us; we were waiting to be killed. That sentence of death taught us not to rely on our own strength but on God, who raises the dead and brings them back to life. BSB BSB: Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.
10 UDB But God rescued us from those terrible dangers, and he promises to rescue us in the future. BSB BSB: He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,
11 UDB He will do this as you help us by praying for us. Now many thank God because he has been so kind to us, since many have prayed for us. BSB BSB: as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the favor shown us in answer to their prayers.
Paul’s Change of Plans 12 UDB We can very happily say that we have we lived toward all people in an honest and sincere way. We lived in the world as God's own people and we have deep trust in God; that was a gift from him. We do not live in any way that the world values. We do not listen to the world's wisdom when we choose what we will do. Instead, God has made us honest and holy in how we live. BSB BSB: For this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
13 UDB You have read my letters. I have written them so you can understand them. BSB BSB: For we do not write you anything that is beyond your ability to read and understand. And I hope that you will understand us completely,
14 UDB You know a little about us already, but on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, I hope that you will be very proud of us in his presence, and we will be very proud of you. BSB BSB: as you have already understood us in part, that you may boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 UDB I am so sure that this will be the case that I have wanted to come to you first, so I could visit you twice. BSB BSB: Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.
16 UDB I planned to see you both when I was on my way to Macedonia and then when I was coming back from there, so you could send me on my way to Judea. BSB BSB: I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to return to you from Macedonia, and then to have you help me on my way to Judea.
17 UDB My mind was made up that this would be the plan. I was not telling you "Yes" and then telling you "No." I was not making my plans like unbelievers often make plans. BSB BSB: When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” and also “No, no”?
18 UDB But God is faithful in guiding us, and we do not confuse you, either. We are making our plans and staying with them. BSB BSB: But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
19 UDB Our "Yes" comes from the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one we proclaimed to you. And there has never been any confusion in him. With him there is no "Yes and then No." Instead, it has always been simply "Yes" in him. BSB BSB: For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.”
20 UDB For the promises of God are "Yes" because they come from him. And we add our confirmation to his "Yes." And we say about God's honor: "It is True! Yes!" BSB BSB: For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.
21 UDB God makes the bond between you and us, and we know that it is Christ who joins us together. Christ is the one who chose us so that we would go out and tell people the good news. BSB BSB: Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us,
22 UDB He put his official seal on us so people will know he approves of us. And he gave us the Spirit who lives within us as an unbreakable promise that he will do even more things for us. BSB BSB: placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.
23 UDB May God himself assure you about my reason for not coming to you Christians in Corinth: It was so that you would not have to face me giving correction to you. BSB BSB: I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
24 UDB We are not like masters who give you orders about how you must trust in God. However, we want to work with you so you can learn to trust God no matter what happens and have joy in trusting him. BSB BSB: Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.