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

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

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

3 A nd 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.

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 that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly 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 part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.

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

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

7 s o 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.

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 T herefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.

I ask you to show him you do love him.

9 F or to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, 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 N ow 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,

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 t hat no advantage may be gained over 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 Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to 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 relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into 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 N ow 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.

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

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 a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient 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 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.

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.