¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:^(A)

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.^(A)

² and walk in love, as Christ loved us^[a] and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^(A)

⁴¹ As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.^(A)

¹⁸ I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.^(A)

¹⁰ and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^(A)

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.^{(A) 4} In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing clearly the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.^(B)

²⁵ Then you shall take them from their hands and turn them into smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering for a pleasing odor before the Lord. It is an offering by fire^[a] to the Lord.^(A)

²¹ And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.^(A)