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”。

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。

But I determined this [a]for my own sake, that I (A)would not come to you again in sorrow. For if I (B)cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? 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. 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

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. Sufficient for such a one is (H)this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather (I)graciously forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm your love for him. 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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:1 Or as far as I am concerned
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:5 Lit so that I not be burdensome
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:17 Or corrupting

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)