1 E STO pues determiné para conmigo, no venir otra vez á 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 contristo, ¿quién será luego el que me alegrará, sino aquel á quien yo contristare?

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, porque cuando llegare no tenga tristeza sobre tristeza de los que me debiera gozar; confiando en vosotros todos que mi gozo es el 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 orque por la mucha tribulación y angustia del corazón os escribí con muchas lágrimas; no para que fueseis contristados, mas para que supieseis cuánto más amor tengo para con 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 Q ue si alguno me contristó, no me contristó á mí, sino en parte, por no cargaros, á 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 B ástale al tal esta reprensión hecha de muchos;

For such a one this censure by the majority sufficient.

7 A sí que, al contrario, vosotros más bien lo perdonéis y consoléis, porque no sea el tal consumido de demasiada 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 confirméis el amor para con él.

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

9 P orque también por este fin os escribí, para tener experiencia de vosotros 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 Y al que vosotros perdonareis, yo también: porque también yo lo que he perdonado, si algo he perdonado, por vosotros lo he hecho en persona 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 orque no seamos engañados de Satanás: pues no ignoramos sus maquinaciones.

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

12 C uando vine á Troas para el evangelio de Cristo, aunque me fué abierta 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, por no haber hallado á Tito mi hermano: así, despidiéndome de ellos, partí para Macedonia.

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 M as á Dios gracias, el cual hace que siempre triunfemos en Cristo Jesús, y manifiesta el olor de su conocimiento por nosotros en todo lugar.

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 para Dios somos buen olor de Cristo en los que se salvan, y en 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 A éstos ciertamente olor de muerte para muerte; y á aquéllos olor de vida para vida. Y para estas cosas ¿quién es suficiente?

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 orque no somos como muchos, mercaderes falsos de la palabra de Dios: antes con sinceridad, como de Dios, 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.