2 Corinthians 2

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

For I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.

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

For if I make you sorry, then who will make me glad but he who is made sorry by me?

3 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.

And I wrote this very thing, so that, when I came, I would not have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

4 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.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.

5 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.

But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.

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

Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many;

7 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.

so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.

8 So I entreat you to assure him of your love.

Therefore I urge you to confirm your love toward him.

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

For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.

10 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,

Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

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

that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

12 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,

Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,

13 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.

I had no relief for my spirit, because I did not find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.

14 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.

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.

15 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.

For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;

16 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?

to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

17 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.

For we are not, like so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.