Forgive and Love the Sinner

5But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—[†]in order not to say too much—to all of you. 6Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7so that on the contrary you should rather graciously forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. 8Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm your love for him. 9For to this end also I wrote, so that I might know your proven character, whether you are obedient in all things. 10But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also. For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

12Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother. But saying farewell to them, I went on to Macedonia.

14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and manifests through us the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not like many, [†]peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.