2 Corinthians 2
2
1So I decided that my next visit to you would not be another visit to make you sad. 2If I make you sad, then who will make me happy? Only you can make me happy—you, the ones I made sad. 3I wrote you a letter so that when I came to you I would not be made sad by those who should make me happy. I felt sure that all of you would share my joy. 4When I wrote to you before, I was very troubled and my heart was full of sadness. I wrote with many tears. I did not write to make you sad, but to let you know how much I love you.
Forgive the Person Who Did Wrong
5Someone in your group has caused sadness—not to me, but to all of you. I mean he has caused sadness to all in some way. (I don’t want to make it sound worse than it really is.) 6The punishment that most of your group gave him is enough for him. 7But now you should forgive him and encourage him. This will keep him from having too much sadness and giving up completely. 8So I beg you to show him that you love him. 9This is why I wrote to you. I wanted to test you and see if you obey in everything. 10If you forgive someone, then I also forgive them. And what I have forgiven—if I had anything to forgive—I forgave it for you, and Christ was with me. 11I did this so that Satan would not win anything from us. We know very well what his plans are.
God Gives Us Victory Over Troubles
12I went to Troas to tell people the Good News of Christ. The Lord gave me a good opportunity there. 13But I had no peace because I did not find my brother Titus. So I said goodbye and went to Macedonia.
14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume. 15Our offering to God is to be the perfume of Christ that goes out to those who are being saved and to those who are being lost. 16To those who are being lost, this perfume smells like death, and it brings them death. But to those who are being saved, it has the sweet smell of life, and it brings them life. So who is good enough to do this work? 17Certainly not those who are out there selling God’s message for a profit! But we don’t do that. With Christ’s help we speak God’s truth honestly, knowing that we must answer to him.
Currently Selected:
2 Corinthians 2: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Corinthians 2
2
1In fact, I made up my mind about this: # Lit I decided this for myself I would not come to you on another painful visit. # Lit not again in sorrow to come to you 2For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? # Lit the one pained 3I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident # Php 1:25 about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart — not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
A Sinner Forgiven
5If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree — not to exaggerate # 2Th 3:8 — to all of you. 6The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. 7As a result, you should instead forgive # Mt 6:12 and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9I wrote for this purpose: to test your character # Rm 5:4 to see if you are obedient # Php 2:8 in everything. 10If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven — if I have forgiven anything — it is for you in the presence of Christ. 11I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage # 2Co 12:17 of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
A Trip to Macedonia
12When I came to Troas # Ac 16:8 to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door # Col 4:3 for me. 13I had no rest # 2Th 1:7 in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, # Ti 1:4 but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia. # Ac 16:9
A Ministry of Life or Death
14But thanks be to God, # 1Co 15:57 who always puts us on display # Or always leads us in a triumphal procession, or always causes us to triumph in Christ # Lit in the Christ, or in the Messiah ; 1Co 15:22; Eph 1:10,12,20; 3:11 and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. # Jn 17:3; 1Jn 4:8 15For to God we are the fragrance # Eph 5:2; Php 4:18 of Christ among those who are being saved # Mt 9:22; Ac 16:30; Eph 2:8 and among those who are perishing. # Jn 6:27 16To some we are an aroma of death # Mt 10:21; Jn 8:51; Php 3:10 leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life # 1Jn 5:12 leading to life. And who is competent for this? 17For we are not like the many # Other mss read the rest who market God’s message # Mt 12:36; Mk 4:14; Lk 6:47; 8:21; Jn 1:1; 2:22; 18:32; Ac 17:11; 2Tm 2:15; Heb 4:12 for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.