1. But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.
2. For if I make you sorrowful, who then will there be to make me rejoice, but the one whom I have made sorrowful?
3. I wrote concerning this matter to you, so that when I came, I would not be grieved by those in whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you all, that my joy is your joy.
4. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly for you.
5. But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but to some extent all of you, not to put it too severely.
6. This punishment which was inflicted by many on such a man is sufficient.
7. So on the contrary, you ought to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps he might be swallowed up with excessive sorrow.
8. Therefore I ask you to confirm your love toward him.
9. For to this end I also wrote, so that I might know that you are proving yourselves by whether you are being obedient in all things.
10. Whomever you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave someone anything, for your sakes I forgave it in Christ,
11. lest Satan should take advantage of us. For we are not ignorant of his devices.
12. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,
13. I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother. So taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia.
14. Now thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ and through us reveals the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15. For we are to God a sweet fragrance of Christ among those who are saved and among those who perish.
16. To the one we are the fragrance of death, which brings death, and to the other the fragrance of life, which brings life. Who is sufficient for these things?
17. For we are not as many are who peddle the word of God. Instead, being sent by God, we sincerely speak in Christ in the sight of God.