2For I have decided this for myself, not to come to you again in sorrow. ²For if I cause you sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad by me? ³And I wrote this very thing in order that when I^* came, I would not experience sorrow from those who ought to have made me glad, because I^* have confidence about you all, that my joy belongs to all of you^a. ⁴For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not so that you may be caused to be sad, but so that you may know the love that I have especially for you.

Forgive and Comfort the Offender

⁵But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow, but to some degree^b—in order not to say too much^c—to all of you. ⁶This punishment by the majority is sufficient for such a person. ⁷So then, you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow this person should be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸Therefore I urge you to confirm your love for him. ⁹Because for this reason also I wrote, in order that I could know your proven character, whether you are obedient in everything. ¹⁰Now to whomever you forgive anything, I also do; for indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it is for your sake^d in the presence of Christ, ¹¹in order that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

Triumphant Ministry in Christ

¹²Now when I^* arrived in Troas for the gospel of Christ and a door was opened for me by the Lord, ¹³I did not experience rest in my spirit, because^e I did not find Titus my brother, but saying farewell to them, I departed for Macedonia. ¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and who reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of him through us in every place. ¹⁵For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, ¹⁶to those on the one hand an odor from death to death, and to those on the other hand a fragrance from life to life. And who is qualified for these things? ¹⁷For we are not like the majority who peddle the word of God, but as from pure motives—but as from God—we speak before God in Christ.

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Footnotes

*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have confidence”) which is understood as causal
aLiterally “is of all of you”
bLiterally “in part”
cLiterally “in order not to burden”
dLiterally “for the sake of you”
*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrived”) which is understood as temporal
eThis infinitive (“find”) is understood as causal