爱之深责之切

我已经决定了,下次到你们那里时不再使大家忧伤。 如果我使你们忧伤,那么除了因我而忧伤的你们,还有谁能使我喜乐呢? 我曾为这事写信给你们,免得我到你们那里时,那些本该使我喜乐的人反而使我忧伤。我也深信你们会以我的喜乐为你们的喜乐。 我万分难过、泪流满面地给你们写了前一封信,并非要使你们忧伤,而是要你们明白我是多么疼爱你们。

要饶恕犯罪的人

那个令人痛心的人与其说使我忧伤,倒不如说使你们大家都有几分忧伤。我只说几分忧伤,是怕说得太重,他受不了。 这样的人受了众人的谴责也就够了。 你们现在要饶恕他、安慰他,免得他忧伤过度而一蹶不振。 我劝你们要让他确实知道你们仍然爱他。 为此,我也曾写信给你们,想知道你们是否凡事顺服。 10 你们饶恕谁,我也饶恕谁。我若饶恕,是为了你们的缘故在基督面前饶恕的, 11 免得撒旦乘虚而入,因为我们并非不知道它的诡计。

基督的香气

12 我前往特罗亚传扬基督的福音时,主为我打开了传福音的大门。 13 那时,因为没有找到提多弟兄,我心里不安,便辞别众人来到马其顿。

14 感谢上帝,祂常常在基督里率领我们走在凯旋的行列中,又借着我们到处散发那因认识基督而有的香气。 15 不论是在得救的人当中还是在灭亡的人当中,对上帝来说,我们都是基督的馨香之气。 16 对灭亡的人而言,这香气是叫人死亡的香气;对得救的人来说,这香气却是叫人得生命的香气。谁能担当这样的重任呢? 17 我们并不像许多人为了谋利而出卖上帝的道。我们是上帝差遣的,在上帝面前靠着基督诚诚实实地讲道。

我自己決定了,到你們那裡去的時候,不再是憂愁的。 如果我使你們憂愁,除了那因我而憂愁的人以外,誰能使我快樂呢? 我寫了這樣的信,免得我來的時候,應該使我快樂的人反而使我憂愁;我深信你們眾人都以我的喜樂為你們的喜樂。 我從前心裡痛苦難過,流著眼淚寫信給你們,並不是要使你們憂愁,而是要你們知道我是多麼愛你們。

饒恕犯罪的弟兄

如果有人使人憂愁,他不是使我憂愁,而是使你們眾人都有一點憂愁;我只說有一點,是避免說得過分。 這樣的人受了許多人的責備,也就夠了, 倒不如饒恕他,安慰他,免得他因憂愁過度而受不了。 所以,我勸你們要向他確實顯明你們的愛心。 為這緣故,我寫了那封信,要考驗你們是不是凡事都順從。 10 你們饒恕誰,我也饒恕誰;我所饒恕了的(如果我饒恕過甚麼),是為了你們在基督面前饒恕的, 11 免得撒但有機可乘,因為我們並不是不曉得他的詭計。

基督的馨香

12 從前我為基督的福音到了特羅亞,雖然主給我開了門, 13 我心裡仍然沒有安寧,因為見不到提多弟兄。於是我辭別了那裡的人,到馬其頓去了。

14 感謝 神,他常常在基督裡,使我們這些作俘虜的,列在凱旋的隊伍當中,又藉著我們在各地散播香氣,就是使人認識基督。 15 因為無論在得救的人或滅亡的人中間,我們都是基督的馨香,是獻給 神的。 16 對於滅亡的人,這是死亡的氣味叫人死;對於得救的人,這卻是生命的香氣使人活。這些事誰夠資格作呢? 17 我們不像那許多的人,為了圖利而謬講 神的道。相反地,我們講話,是出於真誠,出於 神,是在 神面前、在基督裡的。

But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

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.

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.

But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

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.