| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. | 1So I made up my own mind not to pay you another painful visit. |
| 2For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? | 2For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad but the one I caused to be sad? |
| 3And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. | 3And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours. |
| 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. | 4For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you. |
| 5But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. | 5But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate) he has saddened all of you as well. |
| 6This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, | 6This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, |
| 7so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. | 7so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. |
| 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. | 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. |
| 9For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. | 9For this reason also I wrote you: to test you to see if you are obedient in everything. |
| 10Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, | 10If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him--for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, |
| 11lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. | 11so that we may not be exploited 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 to me by the Lord, | 12Now when I arrived in Troas to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me, |
| 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. | 13I had no relief in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them and set out for Macedonia. |
| 14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. | 14But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. |
| 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. | 15For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing-- |
| 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? | 16to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? |
| 17For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. | 17For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God. |
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