A painful visit
So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? I 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. For 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.
So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.
But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?
For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
I 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.
And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
For 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.
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
Forgive the offender
If 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. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. Anyone 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, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
If 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.
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient.
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
Anyone 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,
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Triumph in Christ
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I 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. But 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. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To 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? Unlike 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.
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
I 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.
I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
But 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.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
To 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?
To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Unlike 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.
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.