| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 Salutation (1:1-11) grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1:2) | Salutation | 17 Final greetings and benediction (12:20-13:13) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you. (13:13) |
| 2 The plan of Paul's visit (1:12-20) With this confidence I formerly intended to come to you so that you might receive a double favor, (1:15) | Plan of revisit | 16 Paul's concern for the Corinthian church (12:11-19) Now I am ready to come to you this third time. And I will not be a burden, for I want not what is yours, but you. (12:14) |
| 3 The odor of the knowledge (1:21-2:17) For we are not like the many who trade on the word of God; but as out of sincerity, indeed as from God and in the presence of God, we speak in Christ. (2:17) | Person in Christ | 15 Paul's visions and revelations (12:1-10) I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. (12:2) |
| 4 Ministers of the new covenant (3:1-18) Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? (3:1) | Paul's self-recommendation | 14 Paul's sufferings as an apostle (11:16-33) Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 11:19 For you gladly put up with fools, since you are wise yourselves. (11:18-19) |
| 5 Treasure in clay jars (4:1-18) Rather, we have renounced shameful, hidden things; not acting deceitfully or falsifying the word of God, but by the open declaration of the truth we commend ourselves to everyones conscience in the sight of God. (4:2) | Worrying about cunning | 13 Paul and the false apostles (11:1-15) But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere (and pure) commitment to Christ. (11:3) |
| 5 Treasure in clay jars (4:1-18) For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. (4:5) | Preaching | 13 Paul and the false apostles (11:1-15) For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough. (11:4) |
| 6 Living by faith (5:1-10) For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven. (5:1) | Building | 12 Paul defends his ministry (10:1-18) And even if I should boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I shall not be put to shame. (10:8) |
| 7 The ministry of reconciliation (5:11-6:10) And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, (5:18) | Service to the holy ones | 11 The collection for Christians at Jerusalem (9:1-15) Now about the service to the holy ones, it is superfluous for me to write to you, (9:1) |
| 8 The temple of the living God (6:11-7:4) I am filled with encouragement, I am overflowing with joy all the more because of all our affliction (7:4) | Joy in affliction | 10 Commendation of Titus (8:1-24) for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part (8:2) |
| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 1 Salutation (1:1-11) 1:4 who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. (1:4) | Encouragement and affliction | 9 Paul's joy at the church's repentance (7:5-16) 7:7 and not only by his arrival but also by the encouragement with which he was encouraged in regard to you, as he told us of your yearning, your lament, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. (7:7) |
| 2 The plan of Paul's visit (1:12-20) 1:18 God is faithful (1:18) | Faith (pisto/s) | 8 The temple of the living God (6:11-7:4) 6:15 what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (6:15) |
| 3 The odor of the knowledge (1:21-2:17) 2:16 to the latter an odor of death that leads to death, to the former an odor of life that leads to life. Who is qualified for this?(2:16) | Death and life | 7 The ministry of reconciliation (5:11-6:10) 5:15 He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (5:15) |
| 4 Ministers of the new covenant (3:1-18) 3:3 shown to be a letter of Christ administered by us, written not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.(3:3) | Spirit | 6 Living by faith (5:1-10) 5:5 Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a first installment. (5:5) |
| Former half | Relation | Latter half |
| 9 Paul's joy at the church's repentance (7:5-16) 7:10 For godly sorrow produces a salutary repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death. (7:10) | Repentance | 17 Final greetings and benediction (12:20-13:13) 12:21 I fear that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and licentiousness they practiced.(12:21) |
| 10 Commendation of Titus (8:1-24) As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker for you; as for our brothers, they are apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ. (8:23) | Sending Titus | 16 Paul's concern for the Corinthian church (12:11-19) I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? And in the same steps? (12:18) |
| 11 The collection for Christians at Jerusalem (9:1-15) Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. (9:8) | Power and sufficient grace | 15 Paul's visions and revelations (12:1-10) My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (12:9) |
| 12 Paul defends his ministry (10:1-18) Not that we dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. (10:12) | Foolish self-recommendation | 14 Paul's sufferings as an apostle (11:16-33) What I am saying I am not saying according to the Lord but as in foolishness, in this boastful state. (11:17) |