| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. | 1Now I decided not to pay you another painful visit. |
| 2For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? | 2After all, if I were to grieve you, who should make me happy but the person I am making sad? |
| 3I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn't have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. | 3This is the very reason I wrote you, so that when I did come I might not be made sad by those who should have made me happy. For I had confidence that all of you would share the joy that I have. |
| 4For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart--not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you. | 4I wrote to you out of great sorrow and anguish of heart—along with many tears—not to make you sad but to let you know how much love I have for you. |
| 5If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree--not to exaggerate--to all of you. | 5But if anyone has caused grief, he didn't cause me any grief. To some extent—I don't want to emphasize this too much—it has affected all of you. |
| 6The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. | 6This punishment by the majority is severe enough for such a man. |
| 7As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. | 7So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief. |
| 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. | 8That's why I'm urging you to assure him of your love. |
| 9I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything. | 9I had also written to you to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in every way. |
| 10If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven--if I have forgiven anything--it is for you in the presence of Christ. | 10When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I did in the presence of the Messiah for your benefit, |
| 11I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes. | 11so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions. |
| 12When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door for me. | 12When I went to Troas on behalf of the gospel of the Messiah, the Lord opened a door for me, |
| 13I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia. | 13but my spirit could not find any relief, because I couldn't find Titus, my brother. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia. |
| 14But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. | 14But thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly by the Messiah and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. |
| 15For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. | 15To God we are the aroma of the Messiah among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. |
| 16To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? | 16To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified for this? |
| 17For we are not like the many who market God's message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God. | 17At least we are not commercializing God's word like so many others. Instead, we speak with sincerity in the Messiah's name, like people who are sent from God and are accountable to God. |
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