1 P ero en mí mismo decidí esto: no ir otra vez a vosotros con tristeza.

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

2 P orque si yo os causo tristeza, ¿quién será el que me alegre sino aquel a quien entristecí?

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

3 Y esto mismo os escribí, para que cuando yo llegue no tenga tristeza de parte de los que debieran alegrarme, confiando en todos vosotros de que mi gozo sea el mismo de todos vosotros.

And 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.

4 P ues por la mucha aflicción y angustia de corazón os escribí con muchas lágrimas, no para entristeceros, sino para que conozcáis el amor que tengo especialmente por vosotros.

For 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.

5 P ero si alguno ha causado tristeza, no me la ha causado a mí, sino hasta cierto punto (para no exagerar ) a todos vosotros.

But 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.

6 E s suficiente para tal persona este castigo que le fue impuesto por la mayoría;

For such a one this censure by the majority sufficient.

7 a sí que, por el contrario, vosotros más bien deberíais perdonar lo y consolar lo, no sea que en alguna manera éste sea abrumado por tanta tristeza.

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

8 P or lo cual os ruego que reafirméis vuestro amor hacia él.

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

9 P ues también con este fin os escribí, para poneros a prueba y ver si sois obedientes en todo.

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 in everything.

10 P ero a quien perdonéis algo, yo también lo perdono; porque en verdad, lo que yo he perdonado, si algo he perdonado, lo hice por vosotros en presencia de Cristo,

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 of Christ (the Messiah),

11 p ara que Satanás no tome ventaja sobre nosotros, pues no ignoramos sus ardides. De Troas a Macedonia

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

12 C uando llegué a Troas para predicar el evangelio de Cristo, y se me abrió una puerta en el Señor,

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

13 n o tuve reposo en mi espíritu al no encontrar a Tito, mi hermano; despidiéndome, pues, de ellos, salí para Macedonia. Triunfantes en Cristo

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 P ero gracias a Dios, que en Cristo siempre nos lleva en triunfo, y que por medio de nosotros manifiesta en todo lugar la fragancia de su conocimiento.

But 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,

15 P orque fragante aroma de Cristo somos para Dios entre los que se salvan y entre los que se pierden;

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

16 p ara unos, olor de muerte para muerte, y para otros, olor de vida para vida. Y para estas cosas ¿quién está capacitado ?

To 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?

17 P ues no somos como muchos, que comercian con la palabra de Dios, sino que con sinceridad, como de parte de Dios y delante de Dios hablamos en Cristo.

For 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.