| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1So I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. | 1So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. |
| 2For if I grieve you, who is left to cheer me but those whom I have grieved? | 2For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. |
| 3I 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. | 3That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. |
| 4For 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. | 4I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you. Forgiveness for the Sinner |
| 5Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it. | 5I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. |
| 6The punishment imposed on him by the majority is sufficient for him. | 6Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. |
| 7So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. | 7Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. |
| 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. | 8So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him. |
| 9My purpose in writing you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. | 9I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions. |
| 10If 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, | 10When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, |
| 11in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. | 11so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. |
| 12Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord, | 12When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me. |
| 13I 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. | 13But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him. Ministers of the New Covenant |
| 14But 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. | 14But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. |
| 15For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. | 15Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. |
| 16To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task? | 16To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? |
| 17For 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. | 17You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us. |
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