CHOOSE YOUR BIBLE VERSION
2 Corinthians 1-2
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Timothy, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4
who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5
For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
6
But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;
7
and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are partners in our sufferings, so also you are in our comfort.
8
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.
9
Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
10
who rescued us from so great a danger of death, and will rescue us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,
11
if you also join in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons in our behalf for the favor granted to us through the prayers of many.
12
For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
13
For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end;
14
just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus.
15
In this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might twice receive a blessing;
16
that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea.
17
Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?
18
But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.
19
For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but has been yes in Him.
20
For as many as the promises of God are, in Him they are yes; therefore through Him also is our Amen to the glory of God through us.
21
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
22
who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
23
But I call God as witness to my soul, that it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth.
24
Not that we domineer over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.
Chapter 2
1 But I decided this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. 2 For if I cause you sorrow, who then will be the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? 3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.
5
But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not for me, but in some degree—not to say too much—for all of you.
6
Sufficient for such a person is this punishment which was imposed by the majority,
7
so that on the other hand, you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a person might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8
Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
9
For to this end I also wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10
But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11
so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12
Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,
13
I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but saying goodbye to them, I went on to Macedonia.
14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.
15
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:
16
to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17
For we are not like the many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
King James Version
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
12
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
13
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
14
As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
16
And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
17
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
18
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
21
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23
Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24
Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
Chapter 2
1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3 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. 4 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.
5
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8
Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10
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;
11
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
13
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.
14
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.
15
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16
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?
17
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.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and Timothy our brother:To the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
4
He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
5
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6
If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.
7
And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.
8
We don't want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed--beyond our strength--so that we even despaired of life itself.
9
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.
10
He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again
11
while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.
12
Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God's grace.
13
For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely--
14
just as you have partially understood us--that we are your reason for pride, just as you also are ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15
Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first, so that you could have a second benefit,
16
and to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you on my journey to Judea.
17
Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human way so that I say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?
18
As God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes and no."
19
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you--Silvanus, Timothy, and I--did not become "Yes and no." On the contrary, in him it is always "Yes."
20
For every one of God's promises is "Yes" in him. Therefore, through him we also say "Amen" to the glory of God.
21
Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us.
22
He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.
23
I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.
24
I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your faith.
Chapter 2
1 In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? 3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn't have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart--not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
5
If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree--not to exaggerate--to all of you.
6
This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person.
7
As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief.
8
Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9
I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.
10
Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven--if I have forgiven anything--it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ,
11
so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12
When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord opened a door for me,
13
I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. Instead, I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.
14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ's triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.
15
For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16
To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things?
17
For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.
New Living Translation
Chapter 1
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.
2
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
4
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
5
For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.
6
Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.
7
We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.
8
We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.
9
In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.
10
And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.
11
And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
12
We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
13
Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can't understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us,
14
even if you don't understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.
15
Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice--
16
first on my way to Macedonia and again when I returned from Macedonia. Then you could send me on my way to Judea.
17
You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say 'Yes' when they really mean 'No'?
18
As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver between 'Yes' and 'No.'
19
For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between 'Yes' and 'No.' He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God's ultimate 'Yes,' he always does what he says.
20
For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding 'Yes!' And through Christ, our 'Amen' (which means 'Yes') ascends to God for his glory.
21
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,
22
and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
23
Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn't return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
24
But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.
Chapter 2
1 So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. 3 That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won't be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. 4 I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn't want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.
5
I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me.
6
Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough.
7
Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement.
8
So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.
9
I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions.
10
When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ's authority for your benefit,
11
so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
12
When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.
13
But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn't yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.
14
But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
15
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
16
To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?
17
You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching us.
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4
who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5
For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
6
If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.
7
Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
8
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.
9
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
10
He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
11
You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
12
For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
13
For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand—
14
just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.
15
Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace.
16
I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.
17
Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?
18
As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.
19
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes.
20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
21
And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,
22
and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
23
But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.
24
Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.
Chapter 2
1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
5
Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.
6
For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough,
7
so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8
So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.
9
For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.
10
Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,
11
so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
12
When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord,
13
my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.
14
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
15
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
16
to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
17
For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
New International Version
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:
2
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
5
For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
6
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7
And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
9
Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11
as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
12
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace.
13
For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that,
14
as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15
Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice.
16
I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.
17
Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both 'Yes, yes' and 'No, no'?
18
But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not 'Yes' and 'No.'
19
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me and Silas and Timothy--was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.'
20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God.
21
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
22
set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
23
I call God as my witness--and I stake my life on it--that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
24
Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
Chapter 2
1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 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. 4 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.
5
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.
6
The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient.
7
Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8
I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
9
Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.
10
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,
11
in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
12
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,
13
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.
14
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.
15
For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16
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?
17
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.
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The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible Copyright© 1960 - 2020 by The Lockman Foundation.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.