Reaffirm Your Love

1But I determined this in myself, that with sorrow I would not again come to you: 2for if I cause you to grieve, who is he that makes me glad, but he that is made sorry by me? 3And I wrote to you this very thing, that, on coming to you, I might not have sorrow from those from whom I ought to receive joy; because I have confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4For out of much affliction and distress of heart, I wrote to you with many tears: not that you might be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly for you.

5But if any one has caused grief, he has grieved, not me only, but, in some measure?not to speak harshly?all of you. 6Sufficient for such a one is the punishment, which was inflicted by the greater number: 7so that, on the other hand, you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest such a one should be swallowed up in too much sorrow. 8Wherefore, I exhort you to give him an assurance of your love. 9For I wrote to you for this purpose also, that I might have a sure proof from you, whether you are obedient in all things. 10Whom you forgive any thing, I forgive it also: for what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven any thing, I have forgiven for your sake, in the person of Christ, 11lest an advantage should be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Triumph in Christ

12And when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of the Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but I took leave of them, and went into Macedonia.

14Now, thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in the Christ, and sheds in every place, by us, the fragrance of the knowledge of himself. 15For, through God, we are a sweet odor of Christ, among the saved, and among the lost: 16to the one, we are the odor of death ending in death; to the other, the odor of life ending in life: and who is sufficient for these things? 17For we do not, as the many, adulterate the word of God; but, as from sincerity, but, as from God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.