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.
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2 Corinthians 2: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 2
2
1 BUT I definitely made up my mind not to grieve you with another painful and distressing visit.
2 For if I cause you pain [with merited rebuke], who is there to provide me enjoyment but the [very] one whom I have grieved and made sad?
3 And I wrote the same to you so that when I came, I might not be myself pained by those who are the [very] ones who ought to make me glad, for I trusted in you all and felt confident that my joy would be shared by all of you.
4 For I wrote you out of great sorrow and deep distress [with mental torture and anxiety] of heart, [yes, and] with many tears, not to cause you pain but in order to make you realize the overflowing love that I continue increasingly to have for you.
5 But if someone [the one among you who committed incest] has caused [all this] grief and pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure, not to put it too severely, [he has distressed] all of you.
6 For such a one this censure by the majority [which he has received is] sufficient [punishment].
7 So [instead of further rebuke, now] you should rather turn and [graciously] forgive and comfort and encourage [him], to keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow and despair.
8 I therefore beg you to reinstate him in your affections and assure him of your love for him;
9 For this was my purpose in writing you, to test your attitude and see if you would stand the test, whether you are obedient and altogether agreeable [to following my orders] in everything.
10 If you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive that one; and what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sakes in the presence [and with the approval] of Christ (the Messiah),
11 To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions.
12 Now when I arrived at Troas [to preach] the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, a door of opportunity was opened for me in the Lord,
13 Yet my spirit could not rest (relax, get relief) because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave from them and departed for Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,
15 For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:
16 To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? [Who is able for such a ministry? We?]
17 For we are not, like so many, [like hucksters making a trade of] peddling God's Word [shortchanging and adulterating the divine message]; but like [men] of sincerity and the purest motive, as [commissioned and sent] by God, we speak [His message] in Christ (the Messiah), in the [very] sight and presence of God.
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