1But I decided this in myself that I would not come again in sorrow to you. 2For if I sadden you, who will gladden me, if not the one whom I sadden? 3And what I wrote to you is this: that those who ought to give me joy would not make me sad; but I do trust in all of you that my joy belongs to all of you. 4And I wrote to you these things in many tears from great suffering and anguish of heart, not so that you would grieve, but so that you would know the abundant love that I have for you.

5But if a man grieves me, it is not me he grieves, but in a small fashion all of you, so that this statement should not weigh upon you. 6But this rebuke that is from the many is sufficient for him. 7And now on the other hand, it is necessary to forgive him and comfort him, lest he who is such be swallowed up in excessive grief. 8Therefore I beseech you to confirm your love to him. 9For this cause I have written also to know by a test if you are obedient in everything. 10But the one whom you forgive, I forgive also; for anything that I forgave him, that which I forgave in the presence of The Messiah I forgave for your sakes, 11Lest Satan would overtake us, for we know his devices.

12But when I came to Troas with The Gospel of The Messiah and a door was opened to me by THE LORD JEHOVAH, 13I had no rest in my spirit, for I did not find Titus, my brother, but I left them and went out to Macedonia.

14But I thank God, who at all times makes us a vision in The Messiah and reveals the fragrance of his knowledge by us in every place. 15For we are a sweet fragrance to God in The Messiah among those who have life and among those who perish; 16To the latter, the stench of death for death, and to the former, the fragrance of The Life for life. And who shall be worthy for these things? 17For we are not like others who blend the words of God, but according to that which is in the truth and according to that which is from God, before God in The Messiah we speak.