2 Corinthians (2 Co) 2
2
1So I made up my mind that I would not pay you another painful visit. 2For if I cause you pain, who is left to make me happy except the people I have pained? 3Indeed, this is why I wrote as I did — so that when I came, I would not have to be pained by those who ought to be making me happy; for I had enough confidence in all of you to believe that unless I could be happy, none of you could be happy either. 4I wrote to you with a greatly distressed and anguished heart, and with many tears, not in order to cause you pain, but to get you to realize how very much I love you.
5Now if someone has been a cause of pain, it is not I whom he has pained, but, in some measure — I don’t want to overstate it — all of you. 6For such a person the punishment already imposed on him by the majority is sufficient, 7so that now you should do the opposite — forgive him, encourage him, comfort him. Otherwise such a person might be swallowed up in overwhelming depression. 8So I urge you to show that you really do love him. 9The reason I wrote you was to see if you would pass the test, to see if you would fully obey me. 10Anyone you forgive, I forgive too. For indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if there has been anything to forgive, has been for your sake in the presence of the Messiah 11so that we will not be taken advantage of by the Adversary — for we are quite aware of his schemes!
12Now when I went to Troas to proclaim the Good News of the Messiah, since a door had been opened for me by the Lord, 13I could not rest, because I failed to find my brother Titus. So I left the people there and went on to Macedonia.
14But thanks be to God, who in the Messiah constantly leads us in a triumphal procession and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of what it means to know him! 15For to God we are the aroma of the Messiah, both among those being saved and among those being lost; 16to the latter, we are the smell of death leading only to more death; but to the former, we are the sweet smell of life leading to more life. Who is equal to such a task? 17For we are not like a lot of folks who go about huckstering God’s message for a fee; on the contrary, we speak out of a sincere heart, as people sent by God, standing in God’s presence, living in union with the Messiah.
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2 Corinthians (2 Co) 2: CJB
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2
1I decided not to visit you again while I was distressed. 2After all, if I had made you uncomfortable, how could you have cheered me up when you were uncomfortable?
3This is the very reason I wrote to you. I didn’t want to visit you and be distressed by those who should make me happy. I’m confident about all of you that whatever makes me happy also makes you happy.
4I was deeply troubled and anguished. In fact, I had tears in my eyes when I wrote to you. I didn’t write to make you uncomfortable but to let you know how much I love you.
Forgive the Person Who Sinned
5If someone caused distress, I’m not the one really affected. To some extent—although I don’t want to emphasize this too much—it has affected all of you. 6The majority of you have imposed a severe enough punishment on that person. 7So now forgive and comfort him. Such distress could overwhelm someone like that if he’s not forgiven and comforted. 8That is why I urge you to assure him that you love him. 9I had also written to you to test you. I wanted to see if you would be obedient in every way.
10If you forgive someone, so do I. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did in the presence of Christ for your benefit. 11I don’t want Satan to outwit us. After all, we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming.
Paul’s Mission as Christ’s Spokesman
12When I went to the city of Troas, the Lord gave me an opportunity to spread the Good News about Christ. 13But I didn’t have any peace of mind, because I couldn’t find Titus, our brother, there. So I said goodbye to the people in Troas and went to the province of Macedonia.
14But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It’s like a fragrance that fills the air. 15To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are dying. 16To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a life-giving fragrance.
Who is qualified to tell about Christ? 17At least we don’t go around selling an impure word of God like many others. The opposite is true. As Christ’s spokesmen and in God’s presence, we speak the pure message that comes from God.
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