1 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you
again in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorry, then who will make me glad but
he who is made sorry by me? 3 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.
4 For 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. 5 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. 6 Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which
was inflicted by the many; 7 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. 8 Therefore I beg you to confirm
your love toward him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might know
the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 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,
11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not
ignorant of his schemes.
12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was
opened to me in the Lord, 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. 14 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. 15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are
saved, and in those who perish; 16 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? 17 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.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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