| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. | 1In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. |
| 2For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? | 2For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? |
| 3And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. | 3I 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 about all of you that my joy will also be yours. |
| 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. | 4For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart--not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you. |
| 5But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. | 5If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree--not to exaggerate--to all of you. |
| 6This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, | 6The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. |
| 7so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. | 7As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. |
| 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. | 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. |
| 9For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. | 9I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything. |
| 10Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, | 10If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven--if I have forgiven anything--it is for you in the presence of Christ. |
| 11lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. | 11I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes. |
| 12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, | 12When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door for me. |
| 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. | 13I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia. |
| 14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. | 14But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. |
| 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. | 15For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. |
| 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? | 16To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? |
| 17For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. | 17For we are not like the many who market God's message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God. |
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