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1 I made up my mind, you see, not to pay you another visit so full of grief and heartache.
2 If I, after all, bring grief to your hearts, then who is left to bring joy to mine? Certainly not anyone who is himself overcome with grief because of me.
3 In fact, I wrote that other letter to you for this very reason, so that when I do visit you again, I won’t be caused grief by those who ought to be to me a source of joy; for I am convinced that my own joy means the joy, too, of all of you.
4 Indeed, it was out of intense distress and anguish of heart that I wrote to you, with many tears, not for the purpose of causing you grief, but so that you would know the love that I have especially for you.
5 Now if someone has caused grief, it is not me on whom he has brought it, but to a degree (I don’t want to press the point too heavily) all of you.
6 Sufficient is this punishment by the majority against such a person.
7 And so now instead it is forgiveness and encouragement that you are to extend to him, lest he somehow be overcome with so much grief that he gives up completely.
8 That is why I am urging you to publicly affirm your love for him.
9 Indeed, this is another reason I wrote that letter to you: To test and find out your true character, whether you would be obedient, indeed, in all respects.
10 Now anyone whom you forgive, I, too, forgive, and what I have forgiven (if I had anything at all to forgive), it is for your sake that I have done so in the presence of the Messiah,
11 lest we be outwitted by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
“It Is with Pure and Sincere Motives...That We Speak”
12 Now when I arrived in the city of Troas to proclaim the gospel about the Messiah, even though the Lord had opened for me a door of opportunity,
13 I was in turmoil because I couldn’t find Titus, my dear brother; well, after saying good-bye to them, I set out for Macedonia.
14 Yet thanks be to God, who, like a general at the head of his victory procession, puts us on public display in union with the Messiah continually, and discloses through us everywhere the very fragrance of the knowledge of him.
15 What we are is a fragrant aroma, offered to God by the Messiah in the presence of those heading toward salvation and in the presence of those heading toward utter ruin.
16 Though in the eyes of the latter we are more like the stench of death leading to greater death, in the eyes of the former we are the sweet smell of life leading to greater life. And as for such a calling, whose lives are truly up to standard?
17 We are not like the many who use tricks and deceit to make money off of the word of God, you see. On the contrary, it is with pure and sincere motives, and as people sent from God and accountable to God, that we speak, in union with the Messiah.