| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. | 1In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. |
| 2For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? | 2For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? |
| 3And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. | 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. |
| 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. | 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. |
| 5But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. | 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. |
| 6Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. | 6The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. |
| 7So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. | 7As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. |
| 8Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. | 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. |
| 9For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. | 9I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything. |
| 10To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; | 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. |
| 11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. | 11I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes. |
| 12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, | 12When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door for me. |
| 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. | 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. |
| 14Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. | 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. |
| 15For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: | 15For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. |
| 16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? | 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? |
| 17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. | 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. |
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