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

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves^(K) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation^(L) to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(M) 3} You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,^(N) not on tablets of stone^(O) but on tablets of human hearts.^(P)