¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(A) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(B) of the knowledge^(C) of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma^(D) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.^{(E) 16} To the one we are an aroma that brings death;^(F) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?^{(G) 17} Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.^(H) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,^(I) as those sent from God.^(J)

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light^(A) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(B) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(C) 21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

⁵ The light shines in the darkness,^(A) and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.^(B)

¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure,^(A) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(B) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^(C)