Paulus, Apostolus Jesu Christi per voluntatem Dei, et Timotheus frater, ecclesiæ Dei, quæ est Corinthi cum omnibus sanctis, qui sunt in universa Achaia.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother: to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia:

From Paul, by God’s will an apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, who is their brother, to the Church of God which is at Corinth and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia;

Gratia vobis, et pax a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino Jesu Christo.

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

grace and peace be yours from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Benedictus Deus et Pater Domini nostri Jesu Christi, Pater misericordiarum, et Deus totius consolationis,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God who gives all encouragement.

qui consolatur nos in omni tribulatione nostra: ut possimus et ipsi consolari eos qui in omni pressura sunt, per exhortationem, qua exhortamur et ipsi a Deo.

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation; that we also may be able to comfort them who are in all distress, by the exhortation wherewith we also are exhorted by God.

He it is who comforts us in all our trials; and it is this encouragement we ourselves receive from God which enables us to comfort others, whenever they have trials of their own.

Quoniam sicut abundant passiones Christi in nobis: ita et per Christum abundat consolatio nostra.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us: so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.

The sufferings of Christ, it is true, overflow into our lives; but there is overflowing comfort, too, which Christ brings to us.

Sive autem tribulamur pro vestra exhortatione et salute, sive consolamur pro vestra consolatione, sive exhortamur pro vestra exhortatione et salute, quæ operatur tolerantiam earumdem passionum, quas et nos patimur:

Now whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation: or whether we be exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

Have we trials to endure? It all makes for your encouragement, for your salvation. Are we comforted? It is so that you may be comforted. Are we encouraged? It is for your encouragement, for your salvation. And the effect of this appears in your willingness to undergo the sufferings we too undergo;

ut spes nostra firma sit pro vobis: scientes quod sicut socii passionum estis, sic eritis et consolationis.

That our hope for you may be steadfast: knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.

making our hopes of you all the more confident; partners of our sufferings, you will be partners of our encouragement too.

Non enim volumus ignorare vos, fratres, de tribulatione nostra, quæ facta est in Asia, quoniam supra modum gravati sumus supra virtutem, ita ut tæderet nos etiam vivere.

For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above our strength, so that we were weary even of life.

Make no mistake, brethren, about the trial which has been befalling us in Asia; it was something that overburdened us beyond our strength, so that we despaired of life itself.

Sed ipsi in nobismetipsis responsum mortis habuimus, ut non simus fidentes in nobis, sed in Deo, qui suscitat mortuos:

But we had in ourselves the answer of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead.

Indeed, for ourselves we could find no outcome but death; so God would have us learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in him who raises the dead to life.

qui de tantis periculis nos eripuit, et eruit: in quem speramus quoniam et adhuc eripiet,

Who hath delivered and doth deliver us out of so great dangers: in whom we trust that he will yet also deliver us.

It is he who has preserved us, and is preserving us, from such deadly peril; and we have learned to have confidence that he will preserve us still.

adjuvantibus et vobis in oratione pro nobis: ut ex multorum personis, ejus quæ in nobis est donationis, per multos gratiæ agantur pro nobis.

You helping withal in prayer for us: that for this gift obtained for us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf.

Only you, too, must help us with your prayers. So thanks will be given by many on our behalf, and in the name of many persons, for the favour God has shewn to us.

Nam gloria nostra hæc est: testimonium conscientiæ nostræ, quod in simplicitate cordis et sinceritate Dei, et non in sapientia carnali, sed in gratia Dei, conversati sumus in hoc mundo: abundantius autem ad vos.

For our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity of heart and sincerity of God, and not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have conversed in this world: and more abundantly towards you.

It is our boast, made in all good conscience, that we have behaved in the world, and towards you especially, with singleheartedness and sincerity in God’s sight, not using human wisdom, but the light of God’s grace.

Non enim alia scribimus vobis, quam quæ legistis, et cognovistis. Spero autem quod usque in finem cognoscetis,

For we write no other things to you than what you have read and known. And I hope that you shall know unto the end:

And we mean by our letters nothing else than what you read in them, and understand us to mean. I hope that you will come to understand us better,

sicut et cognovistis nos ex parte, quod gloria vestra sumus, sicut et vos nostra, in die Domini nostri Jesu Christi.

As also you have known us in part, that we are your glory, as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

as you do already in some measure; are we not your chief pride, as you are our chief pride, in the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes?

Et hac confidentia volui prius venire ad vos, ut secundam gratiam haberetis:

And in this confidence I had a mind to come to you before, that you might have a second grace:

It was with this confidence in you that I had made up my mind to give you a double opportunity of spiritual profit, coming to you first,

et per vos transire in Macedoniam, et iterum a Macedonia venire ad vos, et a vobis deduci in Judæam.

And to pass by you into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be brought on my way towards Judea.

then passing through Corinth to Macedonia, and so from Macedonia back to you; and you were to put me on my way to Judaea.

Cum ergo hoc voluissem, numquid levitate usus sum? aut quæ cogito, secundum carnem cogito, ut sit apud me Est et Non?

Whereas then I was thus minded, did I use lightness? Or, the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that there should be with me, It is, and It is not?

When I thus made up my mind, do you suppose I did it lightly? Can it be said of me that the plans I form are formed by motives of human prudence, so that it is first Yes, I will, and then, No, I will not, with me?

Fidelis autem Deus, quia sermo noster, qui fuit apud vos, non est in illo Est et Non.

But God is faithful, for our preaching which was to you, was not, It is, and It is not.

As God is faithful, the message we delivered to you is not one which hesitates between Yes and No.

Dei enim Filius Jesus Christus, qui in vobis per nos prædicatus est, per me, et Silvanum, et Timotheum, non fuit Est et Non, sed Est in illo fuit.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us, by me, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, was not, It is and It is not, but, It is, was in him.

It was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that I, that Silvanus and Timothy preached to you; and that preaching did not hesitate between Yes and No; in him all is affirmed with certainty.

Quotquot enim promissiones Dei sunt, in illo Est: ideo et per ipsum Amen Deo ad gloriam nostram.

For all the promises of God are in him, It is; therefore also by him, amen to God, unto our glory.

In him all the promises of God become certain; that is why, when we give glory to God, it is through him that we say our Amen.

Qui autem confirmat nos vobiscum in Christo, et qui unxit nos Deus:

Now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and that hath anointed us, is God:

It is God who gives both us and you our certainty in Christ;

qui et signavit nos, et dedit pignus Spiritus in cordibus nostris.

Who also hath sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.

it is he who has anointed us, just as it is he who has put his seal on us, and given us the foretaste of his Spirit in our hearts.

Ego autem testem Deum invoco in animam meam, quod parcens vobis, non veni ultra Corinthum: non quia dominamur fidei vestæ, sed adjutores sumus gaudii vestri: nam fide statis.

But I call God to witness upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not any more to Corinth: not because we exercise dominion over your faith: but we are helpers of your joy: for in faith you stand.

With my soul as the forfeit I call this God to witness that if I did not, after all, visit you at Corinth, it was to give you a fresh chance. (Not that we would domineer over your faith; rather, we would help you to achieve happiness. And indeed, in your faith you stand firm enough.)