Victory Through Christ

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s victory ·parade [procession; ^Cthe image is of a victorious Roman general leading his army and his captives through the streets]. God uses us to spread ·his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume [^Lthe aroma/fragrance of the knowledge of him; ^Cincense or spices were burned during such victory parades]. ¹⁵ ·Our offering to God is this: [or For God’s sake; or To God] We are the ·sweet smell [aroma; fragrance] of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are ·being lost [perishing; headed for destruction]. ¹⁶ To those who are ·lost [perishing; headed for destruction], we are the ·smell [aroma] of death that brings death, but to those who are being saved, we are the ·smell [aroma] of life that brings life. So who is ·able [qualified; adequate] to do this work? ¹⁷ We do not ·sell [peddle] the word of God for a profit as many other people do. But in Christ we speak the truth ·before [in the presence of] God, as ·messengers of [envoys of; ^Lfrom] God.