The Bible in Basic English BBE
World English Bible WEB
1 But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you with sorrow.
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But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.
2 For if I give you sorrow, who then will make me glad, but he who is made sad by me?
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For if I make you sorry, then who will make me glad but he who is made sorry by me?
3 And I said this very thing in my letter, for fear that when I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the joy of you all.
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And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn't have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is of you all.
4 For out of much trouble and pain of heart and much weeping I sent my letter to you; not to give you sorrow, but so that you might see how great is the love which I have to you.
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For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.
5 But if anyone has been a cause of sorrow, he has been so, not to me only, but in some measure to all of you (I say this that I may not be over-hard on you).
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But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.
6 Let it be enough for such a man to have undergone the punishment which the church put on him;
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Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many;
7 So that now, on the other hand, it is right for him to have forgiveness and comfort from you, for fear that his sorrow may be over-great.
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so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.
8 For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to him clear by your acts.
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Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.
9 And for the same reason I sent you a letter so that I might be certain of your desire to do my orders in all things.
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For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.
10 But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the person of Christ;
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Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11 So that Satan may not get the better of us: for we are not without knowledge of his designs.
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that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12 Now when I came to Troas for the good news of Christ, and there was an open door for me in the Lord,
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Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,
13 I had no rest in my spirit because Titus my brother was not there: so I went away from them, and came into Macedonia.
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I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn't find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia.
14 But praise be to God who makes us strong to overcome in Christ, and makes clear through us in every place the value of the knowledge of him.
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But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.
15 For we are a sweet perfume of Christ to God in those who are getting salvation and in those who are going to destruction;
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For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;
16 To the one it is a perfume of death to death; to the other a perfume of life to life. And who is enough for such things?
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to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not like the great number who make use of the word of God for profit: but our words are true, as from God, being said as before God in Christ.
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For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.