God’s all-encompassing mercy and comfort comforts Paul and all believers, so that they can bring comfort to others. In our affliction, we receive comfort from God so that we can comfort others in affliction.

Paul defends his trustworthiness based upon his clear sincerity, his gospel-shaped character, his abundant loving concern, and writes to rebuild his trust with the Corinthians.

Paul writes to show the Corinthians that not only is the new covenant ministry of the Spirit surpassingly better than the old, but also that the Spirit leads us to hope, confidence, and boldness in ministry.

Paul does not lose heart in his gospel ministry, pressing on in plain preaching and personal weakness, because the gospel itself and God is powerful.

The great promise and hope of all believers is the eternal, glorious future. In light of that future, Christians are to live by faith, courageously seeking to please the Lord, and to persuade unbelievers to be reconciled to God, so that they too can be part of this glorious future.

Paul makes a final appeal to the Corinthians to receive the grace of God through his faultless ministry, and heed God’s promises to separate from the false teachers.

After laying out the case for embracing him and his ministry, Paul rejoices that the Corinthians have shown godly grief when confronted with their sin.

Gospel people are generous people. Calling on the Corinthians to meet their financial commitment, in response to the gospel, for the sake of those in need and for the glory of God.

The Corinthians are to make the right judgement on true gospel ministers and ministry. The Corinthians must respond to Paul as the true gospel minister, receiving him and his ministry and rejecting the disobedience and destructiveness of false apostles. In the same way, all Christians must see the importance and have the ability to judge true Christian ministry.

Fearing that the Christians have failed to discern the false teachers among them, Paul bitingly takes them down (as well as the Corinthian preoccupation with outward strength), showing that God works His strength through weakness.

Paul hopes to find the Corinthians responding in love towards him, repentant, and self-consciously restored in faith. This letter was written to prepare the Corinthians for Paul’s third visit—that he may be warmly welcomed rather than he having to sadly come again with severity