| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. | 1Now I decided not to pay you 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? | 2After all, if I were to grieve you, who should make me happy but the person I am making sad? |
| 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. | 3This is the very reason I wrote you, so that when I did come I might not be made sad by those who should have made me happy. For I had confidence that all of you would share the joy that I have. |
| 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. | 4I wrote to you out of great sorrow and anguish of heart—along with many tears—not to make you sad but to let you know how much 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. | 5But if anyone has caused grief, he didn't cause me any grief. To some extent—I don't want to emphasize this too much—it has affected all of you. |
| 6This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, | 6This punishment by the majority is severe enough for such a man. |
| 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. | 7So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief. |
| 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. | 8That's why I'm urging you to assure him of your love. |
| 9For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. | 9I had also written to you to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in every way. |
| 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, | 10When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I did in the presence of the Messiah for your benefit, |
| 11lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. | 11so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions. |
| 12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, | 12When I went to Troas on behalf of the gospel of the Messiah, 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. | 13but my spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn't find Titus, my brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to 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! He always leads us triumphantly by the Messiah and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. |
| 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. | 15To God we are the aroma of the Messiah among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. |
| 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 people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified 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. | 17At least we are not commercializing God's word like so many others. Instead, we speak with sincerity in the Messiah's name, like people who are sent from God and are accountable to God. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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