1. Greetings from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted. Greetings also from Timothy our brother in Christ. To God’s church in Corinth and to all of God’s holy people throughout Achaia.
2. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Father who is full of mercy, the God of all comfort.
4. He comforts us every time we have trouble so that when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us.
5. We share in the many sufferings of Christ. In the same way, much comfort comes to us through Christ.
6. If we have troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is so that we can comfort you. And this helps you patiently accept the same sufferings we have.
7. Our hope for you is strong. We know that you share in our sufferings. So we know that you also share in our comfort.
8. Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the trouble we suffered in Asia. We had great burdens there, which were greater than our own strength. We even gave up hope for life.