2 But I determined this ^[a]for my own sake, that I ^(A)would not come to you again in sorrow. ² For if I ^(B)cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? ³ And this is the very thing I ^(C)wrote you, so that ^(D)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having ^(E)confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I ^(F)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.

Forgive and Love the Sinner

⁵ But ^(G)if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—^[b]in order not to say too much—to all of you. ⁶ Sufficient for such a one is ^(H)this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, ⁷ so that on the contrary you should rather ^(I)graciously forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ For to this end also ^(J)I wrote, so that I might ^(K)know your proven character, whether you are ^(L)obedient in all things. ¹⁰ But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also. For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes ^(M)in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ so that no advantage would be taken of us by ^(N)Satan, for ^(O)we are not ignorant of his schemes.

¹² Now when I came to ^(P)Troas for the ^(Q)gospel of Christ and when a ^(R)door was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³ I ^(S)had no rest for my spirit, not finding ^(T)Titus my brother. But ^(U)saying farewell to them, I went on to ^(V)Macedonia.

^14 (W)But thanks be to God, who always ^(X)leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and manifests through us the ^(Y)aroma of the ^(Z)knowledge of Him in every place. ¹⁵ For we are a ^(AA)fragrance of Christ to God among ^(AB)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ^16 (AC)to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is ^(AD)sufficient for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not like many, ^[c](AE)peddling the word of God, but ^(AF)as from sincerity, but as from God, ^(AG)in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.