For I made up my mind (A)not to make another painful visit to you. For (B)if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, (C)for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For (D)I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Forgive the Sinner

Now (E)if anyone has caused pain, (F)he has caused it not to me, but (G)in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, (H)this punishment by the majority is enough, so (I)you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might (J)test you and know (K)whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for (L)we are not ignorant of his designs.

Triumph in Christ

12 When (M)I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though (N)a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit (O)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 (P)thanks be to God, who in Christ always (Q)leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads (R)the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among (S)those who are being saved and among (T)those who are perishing, 16 (U)to one a fragrance from death to death, (V)to the other a fragrance from life to life. (W)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.

For I decided this in myself: not again to come to you in agmat nefesh (grief). [1C 4:21; 2C 12:21]

For if I grieve you, then who is the one cheering me except the one I have caused to have agmat nefesh?

And I wrote the iggeret as I did, so that when I came, I should not have agmat nefesh from those who should have brought me simcha; for I have confidence about you all, that my simcha would be the simcha of all of you.

For out of much tzoros and of lev (heart) distress I wrote the iggeret to you with many tears [Ac 20:31], not that you should have agmat nefesh, but that you may have da’as of the ahavah in Hashem which I have more abundantly for all of you.

Now if anyone has caused agmat nefesh (grief), it is not me he has grieved, but to some extent, not to be too severe he has grieved you all. [1C 5:1]

Sufficient to such a man was this onesh (penalty) by the roiv (majority),

So that, on the contrary, rather you ought to give selichah (forgiveness) and chozek (strength) to him lest efsher (perhaps) such a one may be swallowed up by overwhelming remorse.

Therefore I urge you to confirm to him your ahavah (love).

For I wrote the iggeret to this end, that I may have da’as that you are tested and proven, that in all things you have mishma’at (obedience). [2C 7:15; 10:6]

10 Now to anyone whom you give selichah (forgiveness) of anything, I do as well, for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it is for your sake in the presence of Moshiach;

11 Lest we should be outsmarted by Hasatan [Lk 22:31]; for we do not lack da’as of his kesharim (conspiracies).

12 But having come to Troas for the purpose of proclaiming the Besuras HaGeulah of Moshiach and a delet (door) to me having been opened by Adoneinu, [YECHEZKEL 20:14; Ac 14:27; 1C 16:9; Co 4:3; Rv 3:8]

13 I did not have shalom in my neshamah when I was not able to find Titos my Ach b’Moshiach. So I took leave of them and I went on to Macedonia.[Ac 20:1]

14 But Baruch Hashem, the One in whom we are given the nitzachon (victory), Who always leads us in triumph in Moshiach and, through us, in every place spreads the fragrance of the da’as of Him.

15 For we are the aroma of Moshiach to Hashem among the ones coming to Yeshu’at Eloheinu, and among the ones perishing:[1C 1:18; DANIEL 12:2]

16 To the latter ones a fragrance of mavet unto mavet; but to the former ones a fragrance of Chayyim (life) unto Chayyim [Lk 2:34]. Who is sufficient for these things? [2C 3:5-6]

17 For we are not as many, peddling the dvar Hashem, but as from sincerity, as from Hashem, in the presence of Hashem, in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach we speak. [2C 1:12; 1K 4:11]