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2 Corinthians 2
Christian Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 2
Christian Standard Bible
2 In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit.[a] 2 For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me?[b] 3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident(A) about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
A Sinner Forgiven
5 If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate(B)—to all of you. 6 This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person. 7 As a result, you should instead forgive(C) and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 I wrote for this purpose: to test your character(D) to see if you are obedient(E) in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we may not be taken advantage(F) of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
A Trip to Macedonia
12 When I came to Troas(G) to preach the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord opened a door(H) for me, 13 I had no rest(I) in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus.(J) Instead, I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.(K)
A Ministry of Life or Death
14 But thanks be to God,(L) who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.(M) 15 For to God we are the fragrance(N) of Christ among those who are being saved(O) and among those who are perishing.(P) 16 To some we are an aroma of death(Q) leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life(R) leading to life. Who is adequate for these things? 17 For we do not market the word of God(S) for profit like so many.[c] On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.
2 Corinthians 2
New King James Version
2 Corinthians 2
New King James Version
Paul Urges Forgiveness
2 But I determined this within myself, (A)that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you (B)sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
Forgive the Offender
3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, (C)I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, (D)having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much [a]affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, (E)not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
5 But (F)if anyone has caused grief, he has not (G)grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted (H)by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 (I)so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are (J)obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For [b]if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Triumph in Christ
12 Furthermore, (K)when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and (L)a [c]door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 (M)I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us [d]diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ (N)among those who are being saved and (O)among those who are perishing. 16 (P)To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And (Q)who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as [e]so many, (R)peddling[f] the word of God; but as (S)of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 2:4 tribulation
- 2 Corinthians 2:10 NU indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes
- 2 Corinthians 2:12 Opportunity
- 2 Corinthians 2:14 manifests
- 2 Corinthians 2:17 M the rest
- 2 Corinthians 2:17 adulterating for gain
2 Corinthians 2
New International Version
2 Corinthians 2
New International Version
2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(A) 2 For if I grieve you,(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did,(C) so that when I came I would not be distressed(D) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence(E) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you(F) out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief,(G) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(I) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you(J) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(K) 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan(L) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(M)
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas(N) to preach the gospel of Christ(O) and found that the Lord had opened a door(P) for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind,(Q) because I did not find my brother Titus(R) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.(S)
14 But thanks be to God,(T) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma(U) of the knowledge(V) of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma(W) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.(X) 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death;(Y) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?(Z) 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(AA) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(AB) as those sent from God.(AC)
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.