1But I determined this for myself , that I would not come again to you with sorrow . 2For if I make you sorry , who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me ? 3And I wrote this very thing , lest , when I came , I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice ; having confidence in you all , that my joy is the joy of you all . 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears ; not that ye should be made sorry , but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you .
The Importance of Unity and Love
5But if any hath caused sorrow , he hath caused sorrow , not to me , but in part ( that I press not too heavily) to you all . 6Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many ; 7so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him , lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow . 8Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him . 9For to this end also did I write , that I might know the proof of you , whether ye are obedient in all things . 10But to whom ye forgive anything , I forgive also : for what I also have forgiven , if I have forgiven anything , for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Christ ; 11that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan : for we are not ignorant of his devices .
The Triumph of Christ
12Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ , and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord , 13I had no relief for my spirit , because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them , I went forth into Macedonia . 14But thanks be unto God , who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ , and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place . 15For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God , in them that are saved , and in them that perish; 16to the one a savor from death unto death ; to the other a savor from life unto life . And who is sufficient for these things ? 17For we are not as the many , corrupting the word of God : but as of sincerity , but as of God , in the sight of God , speak we in Christ .