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So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.

Forgiveness for the Sinner

I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.

I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions. 10 When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, 11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.

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.

Footnotes

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

So gar I decided krinō this houtos within myself emautou, not to come erchomai to pros you hymeis again palin with en sorrow lypē. For gar if ei I egō cause you hymeis sorrow lypeō, then kai who tis is there ho to make me egō glad euphrainō except ei mē the ho one made sorrowful lypeō by ek me egō? And kai I wrote graphō this houtos very thing autos so that hina when I came erchomai, I would echō not have echō sorrow lypē from apo those hos who ought dei to make me egō rejoice chairō, having confidence peithō in epi you hymeis all pas that hoti · ho my emos joy chara would be eimi the joy of you hymeis all pas. For gar out ek of much polys distress thlipsis and kai anguish synochē of heart kardia I wrote graphō to you hymeis, with dia many polys tears dakryon, not ou to hina cause you sorrow lypeō but alla to hina let you know ginōskō the ho love agapē that hos I have echō especially perissoterōs for eis you hymeis. But de if ei anyone tis has caused sorrow lypeō, he has caused sorrow lypeō not ou for me egō, but alla in apo some measure meros not to hina overstate the case epibareō—for all pas of you hymeis. This houtos punishment epitimia on ho such a person toioutos · ho · ho by hypo the ho majority polys is enough hikanos for him, so that hōste you hymeis should rather mallon forgive charizomai and kai console parakaleō him, lest mē pōs he toioutos be swallowed up katapinō by ho excessive perissoteros sorrow lypē. · ho So dio I urge parakaleō you hymeis to show that your love agapē for eis him autos is real kyroō. For eis this houtos reason also kai I wrote graphō you: to hina discover ginōskō whether you hymeis could · ho stand the test dokimē if ei in eis everything pas you are eimi obedient hypēkoos. 10 Now de the one to whom hos you forgive charizomai anything tis, I also kagō do the same; for gar indeed kai, what hos I egō have forgiven charizomai if ei I have forgiven charizomai anything tis—I did so for dia your hymeis benefit in en the presence prosōpon of Christ Christos, 11 lest hina mē we be taken advantage pleonekteō of by hypo · ho Satan Satanas; for gar we are agnoeō not ou unaware of agnoeō his autos · ho intentions noēma.

12 When I came erchomai · de to eis · ho Troas Trōias to eis proclaim the ho gospel euangelion of ho Christ Christos, even kai though anoigō a door thura had been opened anoigō for me egō by en the Lord kyrios, 13 I had echō no ou relief anesis for ho my egō spirit pneuma, · ho because I egō could not find heuriskō my egō brother adelphos Titus Titos · ho there. So alla I said good-bye apotassō to them autos and went exerchomai on to eis Macedonia Makedonia. 14 But de thanks charis be to ho God theos, who ho is always pantote leading thriambeuō us hēmeis in triumph in en · ho Christ Christos, and kai through dia us hēmeis is making known phaneroō the ho fragrance osmē of the ho knowledge gnōsis of him autos in en every pas place topos. 15 For hoti we are eimi an aroma euōdia of Christ Christos to ho God theos among en those ho who are being saved sōzō. · kai Among en those ho who are perishing apollymi 16 we are a deadly ek fume osmē that eis kills thanatos, but de to the former hos we are a life-giving ek fragrance osmē that eis brings life zōē. And kai who tis is adequate hikanos for pros ministry like this houtos? 17 For gar we are eimi not ou like hōs · ho so many polys, peddling kapēleuō the ho word logos of ho God theos. To the contrary alla, in en Christ Christos we speak laleō in the sight katenanti of God theos as hōs men of ek sincerity eilikrineia, as hōs men sent from ek God theos.