2 Corinthians 1:12-23

International Standard Version

Paul’s Reason for Boasting

¹² For this is what we boast about: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world with pure motives and godly sincerity, without earthly wisdom but with God’s grace—especially toward you. ¹³ For what we are writing you is nothing more than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely, ¹⁴ just as you have already understood us partially, so that on the Day of our^[a] Lord Jesus we can be your reason to boast, even as you are ours.

Why Paul’s Visit Was Postponed

¹⁵ Because I was confident, I planned to come to you first so you might receive a double blessing. ¹⁶ I planned to leave you in order to go^[b] to Macedonia, and then come back to you from Macedonia, and let you send me on to Judea.

¹⁷ When I planned this, I did not do it lightly, did I? Are my plans so fickle^[c] that I can say “Yes” and “No”^[d] at the same time? ¹⁸ As certainly as God is faithful, we haven’t talked to you with mixed messages like that.^{[e] 19} For God’s Son, Jesus the Messiah,^[f] who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No.” But with him it is always “Yes.” ²⁰ For all God’s promises are “Yes” in him. And so through him we can say “Amen,”^[g] to the glory of God. ²¹ Now the one who makes us—and you as well—secure in union with the Messiah^[h] and has anointed us is God, ²² who has placed his seal on us and has given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

²³ I call upon God as a witness on my behalf that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.