2 Corinthians 2
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians with a heavy heart, not intending to cause them sorrow, but to express his love and charity towards them. He sought to test their obedience and to confirm their love for one another, particularly towards someone who had caused sorrow. Paul forgave this individual in the name of Christ and encouraged the Corinthians to do the same, lest Satan take advantage of their discord. He then expressed his gratitude to God for the triumph of the Gospel and the fragrance of Christ that is manifested through him and his ministry.
1But I determined this within myself, not to return again to you in sorrow2For if I make you sorrowful, then who is it that can make me glad, except the one who is made sorrowful by me3And so, I wrote this same thing to you, so that I might not, when I arrive, add sorrow to sorrow for those with whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you in all things, so that my joy may be entirely yours4For with much tribulation and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears: not so that you would be sorrowful, but so that you might know the charity that I have more abundantly toward you5But if anyone has brought sorrow, he has not sorrowed me. Yet, for my part, this is so that I might not burden all of you6Let this rebuke be sufficient for someone like this, for it has been brought by many7So then, to the contrary, you should be more forgiving and consoling, lest perhaps someone like this may be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow8Because of this, I beg you to confirm your charity toward him9It was for this reason, also, that I wrote, so that I might know, by testing you, whether you would be obedient in all things10But anyone whom you have forgiven of anything, I also forgive. And then, too, anyone I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it was done in the person of Christ for your sakes11so that we would not be circumvented by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his intentions12And when I had arrived at Troas, because of the Gospel of Christ, and a door had opened to me in the Lord13I had no rest within my spirit, because I was not able to find Titus, my brother. So, saying goodbye to them, I set out for Macedonia14But thanks be to God, who always brings triumph to us in Christ Jesus, and who manifests the fragrance of his knowledge through us in every place15For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ for God, both with those who are being saved and with those who are perishing16To the one, certainly, the fragrance is of death unto death. But to the other, the fragrance is of life unto life. And concerning these things, who is so suitable17For we are not like many others, adulterating the Word of God. But instead, we speak with sincerity: from God, before God, and in Christ
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