所以,我自己这样决定:不再带着忧伤到你们那里去。 因为如果我使你们忧伤,那么,除了我使他忧伤的那个人,谁能使我欢喜呢? 我写了那封信[a],免得我来的时候,那些本应该使我喜乐的人使我忧伤,因为我深信你们大家以我的喜乐为你们大家的喜乐。 我在极大的患难和内心的痛苦中,流了许多泪水写给你们,并不是要使你们忧伤,而是要你们知道我对你们怀有更多的爱。

饶恕犯罪的人

如果有人使人忧伤,他不是使我忧伤,而是在某种程度上使你们大家忧伤——我这样说,免得说得太严重。 这样的人,受了大多数人的那惩罚已经够了。 所以,你们反而更要饶恕他、安慰他,免得他被过度的忧伤吞没了。 因此,我恳求你们向他证实你们的爱。 其实我也为此写了信[b],就是要知道你们经过考验的品德:你们是否在一切事上都顺从。 10 你们在任何事上饶恕了谁,我也饶恕谁;实际上,我如果饶恕了什么,我所饶恕的,就是在基督面前为了你们的缘故而饶恕的, 11 免得被撒旦占了上风,因为我们不是不明白它的意图。

马其顿之行

12 我为了基督的福音来到特罗阿斯的时候,虽然主为我开了门, 13 我还是灵里不安,因为我没有见到我的弟兄提多。因此我向那里的人告别,往马其顿省去了。

生命与死亡的香气

14 但是感谢神!他总是率领我们在基督里夸胜,并且藉着我们,在各地传扬因认识基督[c]而有的香气。 15 因为在神面前,无论在得救的人中间,还是在灭亡的人中间,我们都是基督的馨香: 16 对灭亡的人,我们是死亡的香气以至于死亡;对得救的人,我们是生命的香气以至于生命。对这些事,到底谁配得上呢? 17 实际上,我们不像许多人那样,用神的话语[d]来做生意;相反,我们是出于真诚、出于神,在神面前、在基督里讲话。

Footnotes

  1. 哥林多后书 2:3 那封信——原文直译“这件事”。
  2. 哥林多后书 2:9 信——辅助词语。
  3. 哥林多后书 2:14 基督——原文直译“他”。
  4. 哥林多后书 2:17 神的话语——或译作“神的道”。

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.

So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(A) For if I grieve you,(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 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. 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

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. The punishment(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(I) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 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)

Paul Urges Forgiveness

But I determined this within myself, (A)that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you (B)sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

Forgive the Offender

And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, (C)I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, (D)having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much [a]affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, (E)not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

But (F)if anyone has caused grief, he has not (G)grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. This punishment which was inflicted (H)by the majority is sufficient for such a man, (I)so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are (J)obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For [b]if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Triumph in Christ

12 Furthermore, (K)when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and (L)a [c]door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 (M)I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us [d]diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ (N)among those who are being saved and (O)among those who are perishing. 16 (P)To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And (Q)who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as [e]so many, (R)peddling[f] the word of God; but as (S)of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:4 tribulation
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:10 NU indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:12 Opportunity
  4. 2 Corinthians 2:14 manifests
  5. 2 Corinthians 2:17 M the rest
  6. 2 Corinthians 2:17 adulterating for gain