1 B ut I definitely made up my mind not to grieve you with another painful and distressing visit.

But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.

2 F or if I cause you pain, who is there to provide me enjoyment but the one whom I have grieved and made sad?

For if I make you sorry, then who will make me glad but he who is made sorry by me?

3 A nd I wrote the same to you so that when I came, I might not be myself pained by those who are the 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.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

4 F or I wrote you out of great sorrow and deep distress of heart, 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.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.

5 B ut if someone has caused grief and pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure, not to put it too severely, all of you.

But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.

6 F or such a one this censure by the majority sufficient.

This punishment which was inflicted by the many is sufficient for such a one;

7 S o you should rather turn and forgive and comfort and encourage, to keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow and despair.

so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.

8 I therefore beg you to reinstate him in your affections and assure him of your love for him;

Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.

9 F or 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 in everything.

For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.

10 I f 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 of Christ (the Messiah),

Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

11 T o keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions.

that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

12 N ow when I arrived at Troas the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, a door of opportunity was opened for me in the Lord,

Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,

13 Y et 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.

I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.

14 B ut thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.

15 F or we are the sweet fragrance of Christ unto God, among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;

16 T o the latter it is an aroma from death to death; to the former it is an aroma from life to life. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things?

to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

17 F or we are not, like so many, peddling God’s Word; but like of sincerity and the purest motive, as by God, we speak in Christ (the Messiah), in the sight and presence of God.

For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.