2 Corinthians 2
1 But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you with sorrow.
So I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.
2 For if I give you sorrow, who then will make me glad, but he who is made sad by me?
For if I grieve you, who is left to cheer me but those whom I have grieved?
3 And I said this very thing in my letter, for fear that when I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the joy of you all.
I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.
4 For out of much trouble and pain of heart and much weeping I sent my letter to you; not to give you sorrow, but so that you might see how great is the love which I have to you.
For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
5 But if anyone has been a cause of sorrow, he has been so, not to me only, but in some measure to all of you (I say this that I may not be over-hard on you).
Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it.
6 Let it be enough for such a man to have undergone the punishment which the church put on him;
The punishment imposed on him by the majority is sufficient for him.
7 So that now, on the other hand, it is right for him to have forgiveness and comfort from you, for fear that his sorrow may be over-great.
So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8 For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to him clear by your acts.
Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
9 And for the same reason I sent you a letter so that I might be certain of your desire to do my orders in all things.
My purpose in writing you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.
10 But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the person of Christ;
If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,
11 So that Satan may not get the better of us: for we are not without knowledge of his designs.
in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
12 Now when I came to Troas for the good news of Christ, and there was an open door for me in the Lord,
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord,
13 I had no rest in my spirit because Titus my brother was not there: so I went away from them, and came into Macedonia.
I had no peace in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But praise be to God who makes us strong to overcome in Christ, and makes clear through us in every place the value of the knowledge of him.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
15 For we are a sweet perfume of Christ to God in those who are getting salvation and in those who are going to destruction;
For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16 To the one it is a perfume of death to death; to the other a perfume of life to life. And who is enough for such things?
To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?
17 For we are not like the great number who make use of the word of God for profit: but our words are true, as from God, being said as before God in Christ.
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.
