Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth begins with a reminder that God is a God of comfort. He comforts his people who are under affliction, and even when one experiences comfort, the end goal is that the comforted person might comfort others. He makes it clear that has, in fact, endured a great affliction in Asia, one so terrible that he thought it would be better to die. In the end, however, God delivered Paul and those who were with him. Even in the midst of such affliction, Paul has a clear conscience that he has acted with godly sincerity and purity by God’s grace.