2 Corinthians 1:12-22

2 Corinthians 1

Paul Explains a Change in Plans

¹² Indeed, this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with God-given holiness ^[1] and sincerity, not with the wisdom of the flesh, but rather in God’s grace—especially toward you. ¹³ In fact, we are not writing you anything other than what you read or also understand. And I hope you will understand completely— ¹⁴ as you have also understood us in part—that on the day of our Lord Jesus we are going to be your reason for boasting, just as you are our reason.

¹⁵ In this confidence, I was planning to visit you first, so that you would have a second gracious gift. ¹⁶ Then I planned to travel from you on to Macedonia, and to return again from Macedonia to you to receive help from you on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ So when I made this plan, I did not do it lightly, did I? Or the things I plan, am I planning them the way the sinful flesh does, so that I would be saying both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

¹⁸ As surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us (by me, Silas, ^[2] and Timothy), was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him the “Yes” stands firm. ²⁰ In fact, as many promises as God has made, they have always been “Yes” in him. For that reason we also say “Amen” through him to the glory of God.

²¹ God is the one who makes both us and you to be strong in Christ. He anointed us. ²² He sealed us as his own and gave us the Spirit as the down payment in our hearts.