Corinthios Ii 2

1 Statui autem hoc ipsum apud me, ne iterum in tristitia venirem ad vos.

For my own sake, as well, I decided not to pay you another painful visit.

2 Si enim ego contristo vos: et quis est, qui me lætificet, nisi qui contristatur ex me?

If it is I who cause you pain, why, who is there to cheer me, except the person whom I am paining?

3 Et hoc ipsum scripsi vobis, ut non cum venero, tristitiam super tristitiam habeam, de quibus oportuerat me gaudere: confidens in omnibus vobis, quia meum gaudium, omnium vestrum est.

So I wrote as I did because I was afraid that if I had come, I should have been pained by those who ought to have made me glad; for I felt sure that it was true of you all that my joy was in every case yours also.

4 Nam ex multa tribulatione, et angustia cordis scripsi vobis per multas lacrymas: non ut contristemini: sed ut sciatis, quam charitatem habeam abundantius in vobis.

I wrote to you in sore trouble and distress of heart and with many tears, not to give you pain, but to let you see how intense a love I have for you.

5 Si quis autem contristavit, non me contristavit: sed ex parte, ut non onerem omnes vos.

Now whoever has caused the pain has not so much pained me, as he has, to some extent – not to be too severe – pained every one of you.

6 Sufficit illi, qui eiusmodi est, obiurgatio hæc, quæ fit a pluribus:

The man to whom I refer has been sufficiently punished by the penalty inflicted by the majority of you;

7 ita ut econtrario magis donetis, et consolemini, ne forte abundantiori tristitia absorbeatur qui eiusmodi est.

so that now you must take the opposite course, and forgive and encourage him, or else he may be overwhelmed by the intensity of his pain.

8 Propter quod obsecro vos, ut confirmetis in illum charitatem.

So I entreat you to assure him of your love.

9 Ideo enim et scripsi, ut cognoscam experimentum vestrum, an in omnibus obedientes sitis.

I had this further object, also, in what I wrote – to find out whether you might be relied on to be obedient in everything.

10 Cui autem aliquid donastis, et ego: nam et ego quod donavi, si quid donavi, propter vos in persona Christi,

Anyone you forgive, I forgive them, too. Indeed, for my part, whatever I have forgiven (if I have had to forgive anything), I have forgiven for your sakes, in the presence of Christ,

11 ut non circumveniamur a satana: non enim ignoramus cogitationes eius.

so as to prevent Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

12 Cum venissem autem Troadem propter Evangelium Christi, et ostium mihi apertum esset in Domino,

When I went to the district round Troas to tell the good news of the Christ, even though there was an opening for serving the Master,

13 non habui requiem spiritui meo, eo quod non invenerim Titum fratrem meum, sed valefaciens eis, profectus sum in Macedoniam.

I could get no peace of mind because I failed to find Titus, my friend; so I took leave of the people there, and went on to Macedonia.

14 Deo autem gratias, qui semper triumphat nos in Christo Iesu, et odorem notitiæ suæ manifestat per nos in omni loco:

All thanks to God, who, through our union with the Christ, leads us in one continual triumph, and uses us to spread the sweet perfume of the knowledge of him in every place.

15 quia Christi bonus odor sumus Deo in iis, qui salvi fiunt, et in iis, qui pereunt:

For we are the fragrance of Christ ascending to God – both among those who are in the path of salvation and among those who are in the path to ruin.

16 aliis quidem odor mortis in mortem: aliis autem odor vitæ in vitam. Et ad hæc quis tam idoneus?

To the latter we are a stench which arises from death and tells of death; to the former a fragrance which arises from life and tells of life. But who is equal to such a task?

17 Non enim sumus sicut plurimi, adulterantes verbum Dei, sed ex sinceritate, sed sicut ex Deo, coram Deo, in Christo loquimur.

Unlike many people, we are not in the habit of making profit out of God’s message; but in all sincerity, and bearing God’s commission, we speak before him in union with Christ.