| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Now I decided not to pay you another painful visit. | 1So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. |
| 2After all, if I were to grieve you, who should make me happy but the person I am making sad? | 2For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? |
| 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. | 3I 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. |
| 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. | 4For 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. |
| 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. | 5If 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. |
| 6This punishment by the majority is severe enough for such a man. | 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. |
| 7So forgive and comfort him, or else he will drown in his excessive grief. | 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. |
| 8That's why I'm urging you to assure him of your love. | 8I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. |
| 9I had also written to you to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in every way. | 9Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. |
| 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, | 10Anyone 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, |
| 11so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions. | 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. |
| 12When I went to Troas on behalf of the gospel of the Messiah, the Lord opened a door for me, | 12Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, |
| 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. | 13I 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. |
| 14But thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly by the Messiah and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. | 14But 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. |
| 15To God we are the aroma of the Messiah among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. | 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. |
| 16To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified for this? | 16To 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? |
| 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. | 17Unlike 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. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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