Pastor Vernon Sivage
September 22, 2024
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4
II Corinthians
1. Paul Changes His Plans – 1:12-22
2. Why Paul Postponed His Visit – 1:23-24
3. Paul Cancels a Painful Visit – 2:1-4
2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4
12 For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
13 For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end;
14 just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 In this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might twice receive a blessing;
16 that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea.
17 Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?
18 But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.
19 For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but has been yes in Him.
20 For as many as the promises of God are, in Him they are yes; therefore, through Him also is our Amen to the glory of God through us.
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
23 But I call God as witness to my soul, that it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth.
24 Not that we domineer over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith, you are standing firm.
2:1 But I decided this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.
2 For if I cause you sorrow, who then will be the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.