2:1 | So* I made up my own mind* not to pay you another painful visit.* |
2:2 | For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad* but the one I caused to be sad? |
2:3 | And I wrote this very thing to you,* so that when I came* I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours. |
2:4 | For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.* |
2:5 | But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate)* he has saddened all of you as well. |
2:6 | This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, |
2:7 | so that now instead* you should rather forgive and comfort him.* This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.* |
2:8 | Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.* |
2:9 | For this reason also I wrote you:* to test you to see* if you are obedient in everything. |
2:10 | If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him – for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, |
2:11 | so that we may not be exploited* by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes). |
2:12 | Now when I arrived in Troas* to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened* a door of opportunity* for me, |
2:13 | I had no relief in my spirit,* because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them* and set out* for Macedonia. |
2:14 | But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession* in Christ* and who makes known* through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. |
2:15 | For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing – |
2:16 | to the latter an odor* from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?* |
2:17 | For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit,* but we are speaking in Christ before* God as persons of sincerity,* as persons sent from God. |