2:1  But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.

2:2  For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?

2:3  This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be {the joy} of you all.

2:4  For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

2:5  But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree--in order not to say too much--to all of you.

2:6  Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which {was inflicted} by the majority,

2:7  so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort {him,} otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

2:8  Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm {your} love for him.

2:9  For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

2:10  But one whom you forgive anything, I {forgive} also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, {I did it} for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

2:11  so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

2:12  Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,

2:13  I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.

2:14  But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

2:15  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

2:16  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

2:17  For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.