1 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.
2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
3 And I wrote this very thing to you, that, when I came, I should not have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, through many tears, not that you should be sorrowful, 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 in part; that I may not be overbearing on everyone.
6 This punishment from the majority is sufficient for such a man,
7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and encourage him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow.
8 Therefore I encourage you to confirm your love to him.
9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one through you in the person of Christ,
11 so that Satan should not take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his purposes.
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christs 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; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us manifests the aroma of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ, in the sight of God.