New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.
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But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.
2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?
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For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy.
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And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.
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.
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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 grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
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.
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But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent--not to be too severe.
6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient.
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This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man,
7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
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so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow.
8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
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Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.
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For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,
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Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
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lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me,
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Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,
13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
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I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
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Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
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For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?
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To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
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, as those sent from God.
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For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.