1 B ut I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.

As I thought about it, I decided I would not come to you again. It would only make you sad.

2 F or if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?

If I make you sad, who is going to make me happy? How can you make me happy if I make you sad?

3 T his is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.

That is why I wrote that letter to you. I did not want to visit you and be made sad by the ones who should be making me happy. I am sure when I am happy, you are happy also.

4 F or out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

I wrote you with a troubled heart. Tears were coming from my eyes. I did not want to make you sad. I wanted you to know how much I loved you. Forgiving a Christian

5 B ut if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree— in order not to say too much—to all of you.

If someone among you has brought sorrow, he has not made me as sad as he has all of you. I say this so I may not make it hard for you.

6 S ufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority,

Most of you have punished him. That is enough for such a person.

7 s o that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Now you should forgive him and comfort him. If you do not, he will be so sad that he will want to give up.

8 W herefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

I ask you to show him you do love him.

9 F or to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

This is why I wrote to you. I wanted to test you to see if you were willing to obey in all things.

10 B ut one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

If you forgive a man, I forgive him also. If I have forgiven anything, I have done it because of you. Christ sees me as I forgive.

11 s o that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

We forgive so that Satan will not win. We know how he works!

12 N ow when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,

When I arrived in the city of Troas, the Lord opened the door for me to preach the Good News of Christ.

13 I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.

I was worried because I could not find our brother Titus. After saying good-bye, I went on my way to the country of Macedonia.

14 B ut thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

We thank God for the power Christ has given us. He leads us and makes us win in everything. He speaks through us wherever we go. The Good News is like a sweet smell to those who hear it.

15 F or we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

We are a sweet smell of Christ that reaches up to God. It reaches out to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin and to those who are still lost in sin.

16 t o the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

It is the smell of death to those who are lost in sin. It is the smell of life to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin. Who is able for such a work?

17 F or we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

We are not like others. They preach God’s Word to make money. We are men of truth and have been sent by God. We speak God’s Word with Christ’s power. All the time God sees us.