| American Standard Version (ASV) | New International Version (NIV) |
| 1 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow. | 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. |
| 2 For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me? | 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? |
| 3 And 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. | 3 I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. |
| 4 For 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 that I have more abundantly unto you. | 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. |
| 5 But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. | 5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent--not to put it too severely. |
| 6 Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was [inflicted] by the many; | 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. |
| 7 so 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. | 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. |
| 8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm [your] love toward him. | 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. |
| 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. | 9 The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. |
| 10 But 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; | 10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, |
| 11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. | 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. |
| 12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, | 12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, |
| 13 I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. | 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia. |
| 14 But 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. | 14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. |
| 15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; | 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. |
| 16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? | 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? |
| 17 For 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. | 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. |
| The American Standard Version is in the public domain. (The American Standard Version Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |