Forgiveness for the Offender

If anyone has caused grief,(A) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment(B) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(C) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. Another reason I wrote you(D) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(E) 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(F) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(G)

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But (A)if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not for me, but in some degree—[a]not to say too much—for all of you. Sufficient for such a person is (B)this punishment which was imposed by the majority, so that on the other hand, you should rather (C)forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a person might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end (D)I also wrote, so that I might [b](E)put you to the test, whether you are (F)obedient in all things. 10 But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes (G)in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by (H)Satan, for (I)we are not ignorant of his schemes.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:5 Lit so that I not be burdensome
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:9 Lit know the proof of you