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2 Corinthians 2
New International Version
2 Corinthians 2
New International Version
2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(A) 2 For if I grieve you,(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did,(C) so that when I came I would not be distressed(D) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence(E) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you(F) 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.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief,(G) 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(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(I) 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(J) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(K) 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(L) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(M)
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas(N) to preach the gospel of Christ(O) and found that the Lord had opened a door(P) for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind,(Q) because I did not find my brother Titus(R) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.(S)
14 But thanks be to God,(T) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma(U) of the knowledge(V) of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma(W) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.(X) 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death;(Y) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?(Z) 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(AA) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(AB) as those sent from God.(AC)
2 Corinthians 2
Amplified Bible
2 Corinthians 2
Amplified Bible
Reaffirm Your Love
2 But I made up my mind not to grieve you with another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you grief [by a well-deserved rebuke], who then provides me enjoyment but the very one whom I have made sad? 3 And I [a]wrote this same thing to you, so that when I came, I would not be filled with sorrow by those who ought to make me glad, for I trusted in you and felt confident that my joy would be shared by all of you. 4 For I wrote to you out of great distress and with an anguished heart, and with many tears, not to cause you sorrow but to make you realize the [overflowing] love which I have especially for you.
5 But if [b]someone has caused [all this] sorrow, he has caused it not to me, but in some degree—not to put it too severely—[he has distressed and grieved] all of you. 6 For such a one this punishment by the majority is sufficient, 7 so instead [of further rebuke, now] you should rather [graciously] forgive and comfort and encourage him, to keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reinstate him in your affections and reaffirm your [c]love for him. 9 For this was my purpose in writing, to see if you would stand the test, whether you are obedient and committed to following my instruction in all things. 10 If you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive [that one]; and what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of [and with the approval of] Christ, 11 to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12 Now when I arrived at Troas to preach the good news of Christ, even though a door [of opportunity] opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there; so saying goodbye to them, I left for Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 15 For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which ascends] to God, [discernible both] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the latter one an aroma from death to death [a fatal, offensive odor], but to the other an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is adequate and sufficiently qualified for these things? 17 For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 2:3 Many scholars believe the contents of the communication to which Paul refers in this verse are implied within vv 5-11, and again in 7:5-12.
- 2 Corinthians 2:5 The incident and offender to which Paul is referring is unclear, but it may have involved some affront or challenge to Paul’s position or authority during his visit to Corinth.
- 2 Corinthians 2:8 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for other believers.
2 Corinthians 2
The Message
2 Corinthians 2
The Message
2 1-2 That’s why I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of us. If by merely showing up I would put you in an embarrassingly painful position, how would you then be free to cheer and refresh me?
3-4 That was my reason for writing a letter instead of coming—so I wouldn’t have to spend a miserable time disappointing the very friends I had looked forward to cheering me up. I was convinced at the time I wrote it that what was best for me was also best for you. As it turned out, there was pain enough just in writing that letter, more tears than ink on the parchment. But I didn’t write it to cause pain; I wrote it so you would know how much I care—oh, more than care—love you!
5-8 Now, regarding the one who started all this—the person in question who caused all this pain—I want you to know that I am not the one injured in this as much as, with a few exceptions, all of you. So I don’t want to come down too hard. What the majority of you agreed to as punishment is punishment enough. Now is the time to forgive this man and help him back on his feet. If all you do is pour on the guilt, you could very well drown him in it. My counsel now is to pour on the love.
9-11 The focus of my letter wasn’t on punishing the offender but on getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church. So if you forgive him, I forgive him. Don’t think I’m carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I’m joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!
An Open Door
12-14 When I arrived in Troas to proclaim the Message of the Messiah, I found the place wide open: God had opened the door; all I had to do was walk through it. But when I didn’t find Titus waiting for me with news of your condition, I couldn’t relax. Worried about you, I left and came on to Macedonia province looking for Titus and a reassuring word on you. And I got it, thank God!
14-16 In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
16-17 This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No—but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.
2 Corintios 2
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
2 Corintios 2
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Problemas en la iglesia de Corinto
2 Pero en mí mismo decidí esto: no ir otra vez a ustedes(A) con tristeza. 2 Porque si yo les causo tristeza(B), ¿quién será el que me alegre sino aquel a quien yo entristecí? 3 Y esto mismo les escribí(C), para que cuando yo llegue no tenga tristeza de parte de los que debieran alegrarme(D), confiando en todos ustedes(E) de que mi gozo sea el mismo de todos ustedes. 4 Pues por la mucha aflicción y angustia de corazón les escribí con muchas lágrimas, no para entristecerlos(F), sino para que conozcan el amor que tengo especialmente por ustedes.
5 Pero si alguien ha causado tristeza, no me la ha causado a mí, sino hasta cierto punto, para no exagerar[a], a todos ustedes(G). 6 Es suficiente para tal persona este castigo(H) que le fue impuesto por la mayoría; 7 así que, por el contrario, ustedes más bien debieran perdonarlo(I) y consolarlo, no sea que en alguna manera este[b] sea abrumado por tanta[c] tristeza.
8 Por lo cual les ruego que reafirmen su amor hacia él. 9 Pues también con este fin les escribí(J), para ponerlos a prueba[d](K) y ver si son obedientes en todo(L). 10 Pero a quien perdonen algo, yo también lo perdono. Porque en verdad, lo que yo he perdonado, si algo he perdonado, lo hice por ustedes en presencia de Cristo[e](M), 11 para que Satanás(N) no tome ventaja sobre nosotros, pues no ignoramos sus planes(O).
De Troas a Macedonia
12 Cuando llegué a Troas(P) para predicar el evangelio de Cristo(Q), y se me abrió una puerta en el Señor(R), 13 no tuve reposo en mi espíritu al no encontrar a Tito(S), mi hermano. Despidiéndome, pues, de ellos(T), salí para Macedonia(U).
Triunfantes en Cristo
14 Pero gracias a Dios(V), que en Cristo siempre nos lleva en triunfo(W), y que por medio de nosotros manifiesta la fragancia(X) de Su conocimiento(Y) en todo lugar. 15 Porque fragante aroma[f](Z) de Cristo somos para Dios entre los que se salvan y entre los que se pierden(AA). 16 Para unos, olor de muerte para muerte, y para otros, olor de vida para vida(AB). Y para estas cosas, ¿quién está capacitado(AC)? 17 Pues no somos como muchos, que comercian[g] la palabra de Dios(AD), sino que con sinceridad(AE), como de parte de Dios, hablamos en Cristo delante de Dios(AF).
Footnotes
- 2 Corintios 2:5 Lit. para no ser gravoso.
- 2 Corintios 2:7 Lit. el tal.
- 2 Corintios 2:7 Lit. excesiva.
- 2 Corintios 2:9 Lit. conocer la prueba de ustedes.
- 2 Corintios 2:10 I.e. el Mesías.
- 2 Corintios 2:15 Lit. fragancia.
- 2 Corintios 2:17 O corrompen.
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Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA)
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