[1] But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you with
sorrow. [2] For if I give you sorrow, who then will make me glad, but he
who is made sad by me? [3] And I said this very thing in my letter, for
fear that when I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right
for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the joy of you
all. [4] For out of much trouble and pain of heart and much weeping I sent
my letter to you; not to give you sorrow, but so that you might see how
great is the love which I have to you. [5] But if anyone has been a cause
of sorrow, he has been so, not to me only, but in some measure to all of
you (I say this that I may not be over-hard on you). [6] Let it be enough
for such a man to have undergone the punishment which the church put on
him; [7] So that now, on the other hand, it is right for him to have
forgiveness and comfort from you, for fear that his sorrow may be
over-great. [8] For which cause my desire is that you will make your love
to him clear by your acts. [9] And for the same reason I sent you a letter
so that I might be certain of your desire to do my orders in all things.
[10] But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have
given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the
person of Christ; [11] So that Satan may not get the better of us: for we
are not without knowledge of his designs. [12] Now when I came to Troas for
the good news of Christ, and there was an open door for me in the Lord,
[13] I had no rest in my spirit because Titus my brother was not there: so
I went away from them, and came into Macedonia. [14] But praise be to God
who makes us strong to overcome in Christ, and makes clear through us in
every place the value of the knowledge of him. [15] For we are a sweet
perfume of Christ to God in those who are getting salvation and in those
who are going to destruction; [16] To the one it is a perfume of death to
death; to the other a perfume of life to life. And who is enough for such
things? [17] For we are not like the great number who make use of the word
of God for profit: but our words are true, as from God, being said as
before God in Christ.
