September 17th, 2022

Greeting

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and Timothy our brother:

To the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The God of Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.

We don't want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

A Clear Conscience

Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God's grace. For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— just as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride, just as you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.

A Visit Postponed

Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first, so that you could have a second benefit, and to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you on my journey to Judea. Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human way so that I say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time? As God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes and no." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you—Silvanus, Timothy, and I—did not become "Yes and no." On the contrary, in him it is always "Yes." For every one of God's promises is "Yes" in him. Therefore, through him we also say "Amen" to the glory of God. Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us. He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth. I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your faith.

Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,
honor is inappropriate for a fool.

Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools.
Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness
or you'll be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness
or he'll become wise in his own eyes.
The one who sends a message by a fool's hand
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.
A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by the hand of a drunkard.
The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.
Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The slacker says, "There's a lion in the road—
a lion in the public square!"
A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.
The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!
In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser
than seven who can answer sensibly.

A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that's not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,
so is the person who deceives his neighbor
and says, "I was only joking!"

Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.
As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
A gossip's words are like choice food
that goes down to one's innermost being.

Smooth lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.
A hateful person disguises himself with his speech
and harbors deceit within.
When he speaks graciously, don't believe him,
for there are seven detestable things in his heart.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone—
it will come back on him.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

Don't boast about tomorrow,
for you don't know what a day might bring.

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.

A stone is heavy, and sand a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.

Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?

Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

Anyone wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.

Oil and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.

Don't abandon your friend or your father's friend,
and don't go to your brother's house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.

A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.

If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.

An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike;
the one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.

Iron sharpens iron,
and one person sharpens another.

Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
and people's eyes are never satisfied.

As a crucible refines silver,
and a smelter refines gold,
so a person should refine his praise.

Though you grind a fool
in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
you will not separate his foolishness from him.

Know well the condition of your flock,
and pay attention to your herds,
for wealth is not forever;
not even a crown lasts for all time.
When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
there will be enough goat's milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.

Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.