2 Corinthians 2:1-11

GOD’S WORD Translation

2 I decided not to visit you again while I was distressed. ² After all, if I had made you uncomfortable, how could you have cheered me up when you were uncomfortable?

³ This is the very reason I wrote to you. I didn’t want to visit you and be distressed by those who should make me happy. I’m confident about all of you that whatever makes me happy also makes you happy.

⁴ I was deeply troubled and anguished. In fact, I had tears in my eyes when I wrote to you. I didn’t write to make you uncomfortable but to let you know how much I love you.

Forgive the Person Who Sinned

⁵ If someone caused distress, I’m not the one really affected. To some extent—although I don’t want to emphasize this too much—it has affected all of you. ⁶ The majority of you have imposed a severe enough punishment on that person. ⁷ So now forgive and comfort him. Such distress could overwhelm someone like that if he’s not forgiven and comforted. ⁸ That is why I urge you to assure him that you love him. ⁹ I had also written to you to test you. I wanted to see if you would be obedient in every way.

¹⁰ If you forgive someone, so do I. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did in the presence of Christ for your benefit. ¹¹ I don’t want Satan to outwit us. After all, we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming.