The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

And I decided this to myself, not to come again to you in sorrow,

for if I make you sorry, then who is he who is making me glad, except he who is made sorry by me?

And I wrote to you this same thing, that having come, I may not have sorrow from them of whom it was necessary [for] me to have joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy is of you all,

for out of much tribulation and pressure of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not that you might be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have more abundantly toward you.

And if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused sorrow to me, but in part, that I may not burden you all;

sufficient to such a one is this punishment, that [is] by the greater part,

so that, on the contrary, [it is] rather for you to forgive and to comfort, lest by over abundant sorrow such a one may be swallowed up;

for this reason, I call on you to confirm love to him,

for this also I wrote, that I might know your proof, whether you are obedient in regard to all things.

And to whom you forgive anything—I also; for I also, if I have forgiven anything, to whom I have forgiven [it], because of you—in the person of Christ—[I forgive it,]

that we may not be over-reached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Triumph in Christ

And having come to Troas for the good news of the Christ, and a door having been opened to me in the LORD,

I have not had rest to my spirit, on my not finding my brother Titus, but having taken leave of them, I went forth to Macedonia;

and to God [is] thanks, who at all times is leading us in triumph in the Christ, and the fragrance of His knowledge He is revealing through us in every place;

we are a refreshing fragrance to God because of Christ, in those being saved, and in those being lost;

to one, indeed, a fragrance of death to death, and to the other, a fragrance of life to life; and who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God, but as of sincerity—but as of God; in the presence of God, in Christ we speak.

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.