The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

So I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.

For if I grieve you, who is left to cheer me but those whom I have grieved?

I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.

For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.

Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it.

The punishment imposed on him by the majority is sufficient for him.

So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

My purpose in writing you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.

If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,

in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Triumph in Christ

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord,

I had no peace in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life.(a) And who is qualified for such a task?

For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.

Footnotes

(a)2:16 Literally To the one, indeed, an aroma from death to death; but to the other, an aroma from life to life.

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

For if I make you grieve, then who will make me glad but he who is made to grieve by me?

And 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.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made to grieve, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.

But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.

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

so 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.

Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.

For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.

Now 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,

that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Triumph in Christ

Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,

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.

Now 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.

For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God in those who are saved and in those who perish:

to the one a stench from death to death, to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

For 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.