1So I made up my mind not to come to you on another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is left to make me glad other than the one I have hurt? 3 I wrote as I did so that when I came I wouldn’t suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, because I am confident about all of you that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote to you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know of the abundant love I have for you.
I made up my mind not to come to you on another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is left to make me glad other than the one I have hurt? 3 I wrote as I did so that when I came I wouldn’t suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, because I am confident about all of you that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote to you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know of the abundant love I have for you.
5 If anyone has caused pain, he has not so much caused pain to me, but to all of you to some extent—not putting it too severely. 6 The punishment that was inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for such a person. 7 So now you should forgive and console him instead, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote to you was to test you and to know whether you are obedient in everything. 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 so that Satan cannot take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was open for me by the Lord. 13 But I had no peace of mind because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I bid them farewell and left for Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and through us infuses in every place the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. Who is competent for such a task? 17 For we do not peddle the word of God for a living like so many do. On the contrary, in Christ we speak with all sincerity before God, as men who are sent by God.