2 Corinthians 2

¹In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. ^{a 2}For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? ^{b 3}I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident ^c about all of you that my joy will also be yours. ⁴For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart #— #not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.

A Sinner Forgiven

⁵If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree #— #not to exaggerate ^d #— #to all of you. ⁶This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person. ⁷As a result, you should instead forgive ^e and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. ⁸Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹I wrote for this purpose: to test your character ^f to see if you are obedient ^g in everything. ¹⁰Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven #— #if I have forgiven anything #— #it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ, ¹¹so that we may not be taken advantage ^h of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.

A Trip to Macedonia

¹²When I came to Troas ⁱ to preach the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord opened a door ^j for me, ¹³I had no rest ^k in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. ^l Instead, I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia. ^m

A Ministry of Life or Death

¹⁴But thanks be to God, ⁿ who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. ^{o 15}For to God we are the fragrance ^p of Christ among those who are being saved ^q and among those who are perishing. ^{r 16}To some we are an aroma of death ^s leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life ^t leading to life. Who is adequate for these things? ¹⁷For we do not market the word of God ^u for profit like so many. ^v On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.