2CO 1:3-11

The God of All Comfort

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions and God of all encouragement, [1:4] who encourages us in all our tribulation, so that we are able to encourage those in every tribulation through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. [1:5] Because just as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us, so also through Christ our encouragement abounds. [1:6] But if we are being constricted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are being encouraged, it is for your encouragement — the encouragement operating in the endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer. [1:7] And our hope for you is firm, knowing that as you are partners in the sufferings, so also in the encouragement. [1:8] For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, as to our tribulation that happened to us in Asia — that excessively beyond our power we were weighed down, so that we despaired even of living. [1:9] But we ourselves have had in ourselves the sentence of death, in order that we might not be trusting in ourselves but in God who raises the dead — [1:10] who delivered us from so great a death and will deliver; in whom we have hoped that he will also yet deliver us — [1:11] as you also join together in supporting us by supplication, so that by many persons thanks may be given for the grace bestowed on us through many.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, suffering and hardship were often seen as tests of character, particularly within Stoic philosophy, which emphasized endurance and self-control. However, Paul’s framing of suffering in this passage diverges sharply from Stoic ideals. For Paul, suffering is not merely a test but a means of participating in the sufferings of Christ, a concept deeply rooted in Jewish apocalyptic thought. The term '' (tribulation) would have evoked images of intense pressure or crushing, resonating with the persecution many early Christians faced. The '' (comfort) Paul speaks of is not passive consolation but active encouragement, often tied to the communal support and exhortation found in early Christian gatherings. The plural '' (compassions) underscores the multifaceted and abundant nature of God’s mercy, contrasting with the distant, impersonal gods of Greco-Roman religion. Paul’s audience, likely familiar with both Jewish and Greco-Roman frameworks, would have understood this comfort as a divine intervention that transforms suffering into a source of communal strength and solidarity.

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How other translations render this

2CO 1:3

KJV: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
BSB: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
Koinōnos: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions and God of all encouragement,

2CO 1:4

KJV: Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
BSB: who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Koinōnos: who encourages us in all our tribulation, so that we are able to encourage those in every tribulation through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.

2CO 1:5

KJV: For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
BSB: For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
Koinōnos: Because just as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us, so also through Christ our encouragement abounds.

2CO 1:6

KJV: And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
BSB: If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which accomplishes in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we experience.
Koinōnos: But if we are being constricted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are being encouraged, it is for your encouragement — the encouragement operating in the endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

2CO 1:7

KJV: And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
BSB: And our hope for you is sure, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.
Koinōnos: And our hope for you is firm, knowing that as you are partners in the sufferings, so also in the encouragement.

2CO 1:8

KJV: For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
BSB: We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Koinōnos: For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, as to our tribulation that happened to us in Asia — that excessively beyond our power we were weighed down, so that we despaired even of living.

2CO 1:9

KJV: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
BSB: Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.
Koinōnos: But we ourselves have had in ourselves the sentence of death, in order that we might not be trusting in ourselves but in God who raises the dead —

2CO 1:10

KJV: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
BSB: He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,
Koinōnos: who delivered us from so great a death and will deliver; in whom we have hoped that he will also yet deliver us —

2CO 1:11

KJV: Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
BSB: as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the favor shown us in answer to their prayers.
Koinōnos: as you also join together in supporting us by supplication, so that by many persons thanks may be given for the grace bestowed on us through many.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

2CO 1:3

of compassions:The word translated 'of compassions' refers to deep, visceral feelings of pity and mercy, often implying a response to suffering. It suggests a profound emotional connection and active concern for those in distress.
comfort,:The word translated 'comfort' carries a broader sense of encouragement, exhortation, and even legal advocacy. It implies coming alongside someone to provide support, strength, and a call to action, not just soothing words.

2CO 1:4

tribulation:The word translated 'tribulation' literally means 'pressure' or 'crushing.' It evokes the image of being squeezed or pressed down, like grapes in a winepress, rather than just general trouble or affliction.

2CO 1:6

we are constricted,:The phrase 'we are constricted' uses a word that literally means 'to press' or 'to squeeze.' It conveys the experience of being under intense pressure, hemmed in, or severely burdened, rather than just feeling limited.