1So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Ministers of the New Covenant
12Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia. 14But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
2
1But I determined this within myself, ⚓that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2For if I make you ⚓sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
Forgive the Offender
3And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, ⚓I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, ⚓having confidence in you all that my joy is thejoy of you all. 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, ⚓not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. 5But ⚓if anyone has caused grief, he has not ⚓grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6This punishment which wasinflicted⚓by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7⚓so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are ⚓obedient in all things. 10Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Triumph in Christ
12Furthermore, ⚓when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and ⚓a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13⚓I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ ⚓among those who are being saved and ⚓among those who are perishing. 16⚓To the one weare the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And ⚓who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not, as so many, ⚓peddling the word of God; but as ⚓of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.