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2 Corinthians 2
International Standard Version

Paul’s Painful Visit

2 Now[a] I decided not to pay you another painful visit. 2 After all, if I were to grieve you, who should make me happy but the person I am making sad? 3 This is the very reason I wrote you, so that when I did come I might not be made sad by those who should have made me happy. For I had confidence that all of you would share the joy that I have. 4 I wrote to you out of great sorrow and anguish of heart—along with many tears—not to make you sad but to let you know how much love I have for you.

Forgive the Person who Sinned

5 But if anyone has caused grief, he didn’t cause me any grief. To some extent—I don’t want to emphasize this too much—it has affected[b] all of you. 6 This punishment by the majority is severe enough for such a man. 7 So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief. 8 That’s why I’m urging you to assure him of your love. 9 I had also written to you to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in every way. 10 When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I did[c] in the presence of the Messiah[d] for your benefit, 11 so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions.

Paul’s Anxiety and Relief

12 When I went to Troas on behalf of the gospel of the Messiah,[e] the Lord opened a door for me, 13 but my spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn’t find Titus, my brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

14 But thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly by the Messiah[f] and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. 15 To God we are the aroma of the Messiah[g] among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. 16 To some people we are a deadly fragrance,[h] while to others we are a living fragrance.[i] Who is qualified for this? 17 At least we are not commercializing God’s word like so many others. Instead, we speak with sincerity in the Messiah’s[j] name,[k] like people who are sent from God and are accountable to God.[l]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:1 Other mss. read For
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:5 The Gk. lacks much—it has affected
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:10 The Gk. lacks I did
  4. 2 Corinthians 2:10 Or Christ
  5. 2 Corinthians 2:12 Or Christ
  6. 2 Corinthians 2:14 Or Christ
  7. 2 Corinthians 2:15 Or Christ
  8. 2 Corinthians 2:16 Lit. a fragrance of death to death
  9. 2 Corinthians 2:16 Lit. a fragrance of life to life
  10. 2 Corinthians 2:17 Or Christ’s
  11. 2 Corinthians 2:17 The Gk. lacks name
  12. 2 Corinthians 2:17 Lit. as from God and before God
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2 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 3
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International Standard Version (ISV)

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