1. From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and from our brother Timothy —To the church of God in Corinth, and to all God's people throughout Achaia:
2. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3. Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes!
4. He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.
5. Just as we have a share in Christ's many sufferings, so also through Christ we share in God's great help.
6. If we suffer, it is for your help and salvation; if we are helped, then you too are helped and given the strength to endure with patience the same sufferings that we also endure.
7. So our hope in you is never shaken; we know that just as you share in our sufferings, you also share in the help we receive.
8. We want to remind you, brothers and sisters, of the trouble we had in the province of Asia. The burdens laid upon us were so great and so heavy that we gave up all hope of staying alive.
9. We felt that the death sentence had been passed on us. But this happened so that we should rely, not on ourselves, but only on God, who raises the dead.