Ministers of the New Covenant

12 Now when I went to Troas(A) to preach the gospel of Christ(B) and found that the Lord had opened a door(C) for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind,(D) because I did not find my brother Titus(E) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.(F)

14 But thanks be to God,(G) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma(H) of the knowledge(I) of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma(J) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.(K) 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death;(L) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?(M) 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(N) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(O) as those sent from God.(P)

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A Trip to Macedonia

12 When I came to Troas(A) to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door(B) for me. 13 I had no rest(C) in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus,(D) but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.(E)

A Ministry of Life or Death

14 But thanks be to God,(F) who always puts us on display[a] in Christ[b] and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.(G) 15 For to God we are the fragrance(H) of Christ among those who are being saved(I) and among those who are perishing.(J) 16 To some we are an aroma of death(K) leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life(L) leading to life. And who is competent for this? 17 For we are not like the many[c] who market God’s message(M) for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:14 Or always leads us in a triumphal procession, or always causes us to triumph
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:14 Lit in the Christ, or in the Messiah; 1Co 15:22; Eph 1:10,12,20; 3:11
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:17 Other mss read the rest

12 When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me. 13 But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.

Ministers of the New Covenant

14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

17 You see, we are not like the many hucksters[a] who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:17 Some manuscripts read the rest of the hucksters.

Triumph in Christ

12 When (A)I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though (B)a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit (C)was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

14 But (D)thanks be to God, who in Christ always (E)leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads (F)the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among (G)those who are being saved and among (H)those who are perishing, 16 (I)to one a fragrance from death to death, (J)to the other a fragrance from life to life. (K)Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

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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.

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