2 Corinthians 2
2
Reaffirm Your Love
1But I made up my mind not to grieve you with another painful visit. 2For if I cause you grief [by a well-deserved rebuke], who then provides me enjoyment but the very one whom I have made sad? 3And I #2:3 Many scholars believe the contents of the communication to which Paul refers in this verse are implied within vv 5-11, and again in 7:5-12.wrote this same thing to you, so that when I came, I would not be filled with sorrow by those who ought to make me glad, for I trusted in you and felt confident that my joy would be shared by all of you. 4For I wrote to you out of great distress and with an anguished heart, and with many tears, not to cause you sorrow but to make you realize the [overflowing] love which I have especially for you.
5But if #2:5 The incident and offender to which Paul is referring is unclear, but it may have involved some affront or challenge to Paul’s position or authority during his visit to Corinth.someone has caused [all this] sorrow, he has caused it not to me, but in some degree—not to put it too severely—[he has distressed and grieved] all of you. 6For such a one this punishment by the majority is sufficient, 7so instead [of further rebuke, now] you should rather [graciously] forgive and comfort and encourage him, to keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8Therefore I urge you to reinstate him in your affections and reaffirm your #2:8 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for other believers.love for him. 9For this was my purpose in writing, to see if you would stand the test, whether you are obedient and committed to following my instruction in all things. 10If you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive [that one]; and what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of [and with the approval of] Christ, 11to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12Now when I arrived at Troas to preach the good news of Christ, even though a door [of opportunity] opened for me in the Lord, 13my spirit could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there; so saying goodbye to them, I left for Macedonia.
14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 15For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which ascends] to God, [discernible both] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16to the latter one an aroma from death to death [a fatal, offensive odor], but to the other an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is adequate and sufficiently qualified for these things? 17For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.
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Amplified® Bible
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2 Corinthians 2
2
1 But I determined this within myself, not to return again to you in sorrow.
2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is it that can make me glad, except the one who is made sorrowful by me?
3 And so, I wrote this same thing to you, so that I might not, when I arrive, add sorrow to sorrow for those with whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you in all things, so that my joy may be entirely yours.
4 For with much tribulation and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears: not so that you would be sorrowful, but so that you might know the charity that I have more abundantly toward you.
5 But if anyone has brought sorrow, he has not sorrowed me. Yet, for my part, this is so that I might not burden all of you.
6 Let this rebuke be sufficient for someone like this, for it has been brought by many.
7 So then, to the contrary, you should be more forgiving and consoling, lest perhaps someone like this may be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.
8 Because of this, I beg you to confirm your charity toward him.
9 It was for this reason, also, that I wrote, so that I might know, by testing you, whether you would be obedient in all things.
10 But anyone whom you have forgiven of anything, I also forgive. And then, too, anyone I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it was done in the person of Christ for your sakes,
11 so that we would not be circumvented by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his intentions.
12 And when I had arrived at Troas, because of the Gospel of Christ, and a door had opened to me in the Lord,
13 I had no rest within my spirit, because I was not able to find Titus, my brother. So, saying goodbye to them, I set out for Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always brings triumph to us in Christ Jesus, and who manifests the fragrance of his knowledge through us in every place.
15 For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ for God, both with those who are being saved and with those who are perishing.
16 To the one, certainly, the fragrance is of death unto death. But to the other, the fragrance is of life unto life. And concerning these things, who is so suitable?
17 For we are not like many others, adulterating the Word of God. But instead, we speak with sincerity: from God, before God, and in Christ.
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