For 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).

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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”