English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
12
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.
13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and acknowledge and I hope you will fully acknowledge--
13
For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that,
14 just as you did partially acknowledge us--that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.
14
as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace.
15
Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice.
16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.
16
I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.
17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?
17
Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.
18
But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes.
19
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.”
20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,
21
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
22
set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
23 But I call God to witness against me--it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.
23
I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.
24
Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.