2:1 | But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. |
2:2 | For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? |
2:3 | And 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 [the joy] of you all. |
2:4 | For 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. |
2:5 | But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extentnot to be too severe. |
2:6 | This punishment which [was inflicted] by the majority [is] sufficient for such a man, |
2:7 | 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. |
2:8 | Therefore I urge you to reaffirm [your] love to him. |
2:9 | For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. |
2:10 | Now 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, |
2:11 | lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. |
2:12 | Furthermore, when I came to Troas to [preach] Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, |
2:13 | 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. |
2:14 | Now thanks [be] to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. |
2:15 | For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. |
2:16 | To the one [we are] 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? |
2:17 | For 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. |