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For I Did Not Want My Coming To Cause You Grief, So I Wrote To You Instead

For I determined this for myself: not to come to you again[a] in grief. For if I grieve you, who indeed is the one cheering me except the one being grieved by me? And I wrote this very[b] thing in order that having come, I should not have grief from the ones of whom I ought-to-have rejoicing— having confidence in you all that my joy[c] is the joy of you all.

I Wrote To You In Anguish Not To Grieve You, But Out of Love For You

For I wrote to you through many tears, out of much affliction and anguish of heart— not that you might be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you. But[d] if anyone has caused-grief, he has grieved not me, but in part[e] (that I not be a burden[f]), you all. This[g] punishment by the majority is sufficient[h] for such a one, so that on-the-contrary[i], instead you should forgive and comfort him, that such a one should not somehow be swallowed-up by more grief. Therefore I urge you to confirm[j] your love for him.

I Also Wrote To Test Your Obedience To God

For I also wrote for this purpose: that I might know your approvedness, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 And to whom you are forgiving anything, I also. For indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, is for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 in order that we may not be exploited by Satan. For we are not unaware as to his schemes.

So Instead I Went To Macedonia First To Find Titus

12 Now[k] having come to Troas for the good-news of Christ, and a door having been opened for me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit at my not finding Titus my brother. But having said-goodbye to them, I went forth to Macedonia.

I Praise God That He Is Always Spreading The Aroma of Christ Through Us Everywhere

14 But thanks be to God, the One always leading us in triumph[l] in Christ, and making the aroma of [m] the knowledge of Him known through us in every place. 15 Because we are the fragrance of Christ for[n] God among the ones being saved, and among the ones perishing— 16 to the ones an aroma from death to[o] death, but to the others an aroma from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not like the many peddling[p] the word of God. But as from purity, but as from God, we are speaking in Christ before God.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:1 That is, come again; or, in grief again, implying a previous sorrowful interaction (whether in person, or by the letter mentioned in 2:4; 7:8).
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:3 That is, this change of plans; or, my grief-causing letter.
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:3 That is, obedience to Christ.
  4. 2 Corinthians 2:5 Paul pauses to comment on the case about which he wrote them in order to avoid coming to them and causing more grief.
  5. 2 Corinthians 2:5 That is, partially (as to some of you, or some of the grief); or, to some degree.
  6. 2 Corinthians 2:5 Or, weigh-heavily. That is, exaggerate the extent of the grief; or, burden him (by blaming him for everything); or, burden you (by detailing the matter).
  7. 2 Corinthians 2:6 That is, this grief-causing punishment; or, this punishment about which Titus informed me upon his arrival, 7:6-13.
  8. 2 Corinthians 2:6 Or, adequate, enough. That is, because it led to repentance.
  9. 2 Corinthians 2:7 That is, contrary to punishing him further or more harshly.
  10. 2 Corinthians 2:8 That is, publicly affirm.
  11. 2 Corinthians 2:12 Moving on from his aborted plans, Paul summarizes his travels before he met Titus returning from Corinth, with which he resumes in 7:4 after the lengthy reflection on his ministry in 2:14-7:4.
  12. 2 Corinthians 2:14 That is, in a triumphal procession.
  13. 2 Corinthians 2:14 That is, consisting of.
  14. 2 Corinthians 2:15 Or, to.
  15. 2 Corinthians 2:16 That is, originating in death and resulting in death; or, from Christ’s death to their death.
  16. 2 Corinthians 2:17 That is, selling it for personal gain.

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。

I decided not to visit you again while I was distressed. After all, if I had made you uncomfortable, how could you have cheered me up when you were uncomfortable?

This is the very reason I wrote to you. I didn’t want to visit you and be distressed by those who should make me happy. I’m confident about all of you that whatever makes me happy also makes you happy.

I was deeply troubled and anguished. In fact, I had tears in my eyes when I wrote to you. I didn’t write to make you uncomfortable but to let you know how much I love you.

Forgive the Person Who Sinned

If someone caused distress, I’m not the one really affected. To some extent—although I don’t want to emphasize this too much—it has affected all of you. The majority of you have imposed a severe enough punishment on that person. So now forgive and comfort him. Such distress could overwhelm someone like that if he’s not forgiven and comforted. That is why I urge you to assure him that you love him. I had also written to you to test you. I wanted to see if you would be obedient in every way.

10 If you forgive someone, so do I. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did in the presence of Christ for your benefit. 11 I don’t want Satan to outwit us. After all, we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming.

Paul’s Mission as Christ’s Spokesman

12 When I went to the city of Troas, the Lord gave me an opportunity to spread the Good News about Christ. 13 But I didn’t have any peace of mind, because I couldn’t find Titus, our brother, there. So I said goodbye to the people in Troas and went to the province of Macedonia.

14 But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It’s like a fragrance that fills the air. 15 To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are dying. 16 To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a life-giving fragrance.

Who is qualified to tell about Christ? 17 At least we don’t go around selling an impure word of God like many others. The opposite is true. As Christ’s spokesmen and in God’s presence, we speak the pure message that comes from God.

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)