1 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.

2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad if not the [one] which is made sorrowful by me?

3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest when I came, I should have sorrow from those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is [the joy] of you all.

4 For out of much affliction and distress of heart I wrote to you, through many tears, not that you might be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly towards you.

5 Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but in part-lest I burden you all.

6 Sufficient to such a person is this punishment which was [inflicted] by the majority,

7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such a person be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

8 Therefore I appeal to you to reaffirm [your] love towards him.

9 For to this end I also wrote, so that I might put you to the test, [to see] if you are obedient in all things.

10 And to whom you forgive anything, I also [forgive;] for if indeed I have forgiven anything, [the ]one whom I have forgiven, [I have done so] for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

11 lest we be taken advantage of by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

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

13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but saying farewell to them, I departed for Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and making known through us the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

15 For we are the fragrance of Christ to God among those being saved, and among those perishing.

16 To some we are the fragrance of death [leading] to death, but to others the fragrance of life [leading] to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17 For we are not as the rest, corrupting the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.