1 P or esto decidí no hacerles otra visita que les causara tristeza.

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

2 P orque si yo los entristezco, ¿quién podrá alegrarme, sino aquel a quien yo entristecí?

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

3 P or eso les escribí como lo hice, para que ustedes no me pongan triste cuando yo llegue, cuando en realidad debieran alegrarme, pues yo estaba convencido de que todos ustedes harían suya mi alegría.

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 E ra tanto el dolor y la angustia de mi corazón que, al escribirles, lo hice con muchas lágrimas. Pero no lo hice para entristecerlos, sino para que comprendieran el gran amor que les tengo. Pablo perdona al ofensor

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 P ero si alguno me ha causado tristeza, no me la ha causado sólo a mí sino, en cierto modo, a todos ustedes (y espero no exagerar).

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 E l castigo que muchos de ustedes le impusieron a esa persona, es suficiente.

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

7 A hora deben perdonarlo y consolarlo, pues de lo contrario podría consumirlo la tristeza.

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 P or tanto, les ruego que confirmen su amor hacia él.

I ask you to show him you do love him.

9 T ambién les escribí para comprobar la obediencia de ustedes en todo.

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

10 A sí que a quien ustedes perdonen, yo también lo perdono. Y se lo perdono, si es que hay algo que perdonar, por consideración a ustedes en la presencia de Cristo;

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 n o vaya a ser que Satanás se aproveche de nosotros, pues conocemos sus malignas intenciones. Ansiedad de Pablo en Troas

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

12 A unque el Señor me había provisto una buena oportunidad para trabajar en Troas, cuando llegué a ese lugar para predicar el evangelio de Cristo

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

13 e staba yo muy intranquilo por no haber encontrado allí a mi hermano Tito. Por eso, me despedí de ellos y me fui a Macedonia. Triunfantes en Cristo

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 P ero gracias a Dios, que en Cristo Jesús siempre nos hace salir triunfantes, y que por medio de nosotros manifiesta en todas partes el aroma de su conocimiento.

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 C iertamente, para Dios somos el fragante aroma de Cristo, tanto en los que se salvan como en los que se pierden.

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 P ara éstos somos olor de muerte, que lleva a la muerte, y para aquéllos somos olor de vida que lleva a la vida. ¿Quién está calificado para una tarea tan importante?

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 N osotros no somos como muchos, que negocian con la palabra de Dios, sino que hablamos de Cristo con sinceridad, como enviados por Dios, y en la presencia de Dios.

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.