| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. | 1So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. |
| 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 grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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 has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. | 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 which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, | 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. |
| 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. | 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. |
| 8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. | 8I urge you, therefore, 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. | 9Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be 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, | 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, |
| 11lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. | 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware 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 went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door 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 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. |
| 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 as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. |
| 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. | 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and 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 one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? |
| 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. | 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, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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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