2 Corinthians 2
For I made up my mind anot to make another painful visit to you. 2 For aif I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, afor I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For aI wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
Forgive the Sinner
5 Now aif anyone has caused pain, bhe has caused it not to me, but cin some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, athis punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so ayou should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might atest you and know bwhether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for awe are not ignorant of his designs.
Triumph in Christ
12 When aI came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though ba door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit awas not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But athanks be to God, who in Christ always bleads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads cthe fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among athose who are being saved and among bthose who are perishing, 16 ato one a fragrance from death to death, ato the other a fragrance from life to life. bWho is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.