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”。

我自己定了主意,再到你们那里去,必须大家没有忧愁。 倘若我叫你们忧愁,除了我叫那忧愁的人以外,谁能叫我快乐呢? 我曾把这事写给你们,恐怕我到的时候,应该叫我快乐的那些人反倒叫我忧愁。我也深信,你们众人都以我的快乐为自己的快乐。 我先前心里难过痛苦,多多地流泪写信给你们,不是叫你们忧愁,乃是叫你们知道我格外地疼爱你们。

当赦免受责的人

若有叫人忧愁的,他不但叫我忧愁,也是叫你们众人有几分忧愁——我说几分,恐怕说得太重。 这样的人,受了众人的责罚也就够了, 倒不如赦免他,安慰他,免得他忧愁太过,甚至沉沦了。 所以我劝你们,要向他显出坚定不移的爱心来。 为此我先前也写信给你们,要试验你们,看你们凡事顺从不顺从。 10 你们赦免谁,我也赦免谁。我若有所赦免的,是在基督面前为你们赦免的, 11 免得撒旦趁着机会胜过我们,因我们并非不晓得他的诡计。

12 我从前为基督的福音到了特罗亚,主也给我开了门, 13 那时因为没有遇见兄弟提多,我心里不安,便辞别那里的人往马其顿去了。

保罗为基督的香气

14 感谢神,常率领我们在基督里夸胜,并借着我们在各处显扬那因认识基督而有的香气。 15 因为我们在神面前,无论在得救的人身上或灭亡的人身上,都有基督馨香之气。 16 在这等人,就做了死的香气叫他死;在那等人,就做了活的香气叫他活。这事谁能当得起呢? 17 我们不像那许多人,为利混乱神的道,乃是由于诚实,由于神,在神面前凭着基督讲道。

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.