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¹ BUT I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in sadness.² For if I make you sad, who can make me happy, but him whom I made sad?³ And I wrote this same thing to you, so that when I come to you I may not be made sad by those who ought to make me joyful; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.⁴ For out of great affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote you with many tears; not to make you feel distressed, but that you may know the abundant love I have for you.

⁵ But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me only, but to a certain degree all of you, therefore the news will not be a shock to you.⁶ The rebuke of many persons is sufficient for such a man.⁷ So that from henceforth you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one will be overcome with overmuch grief.⁸ I beseech you therefore that you confirm your love toward him.⁹ For that is why I wrote you, that I might know by your word whether you are obedient in all things.¹⁰ To whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for anything which I have forgiven, to whomever I forgave it, it is for your sakes I forgave it in the presence of Christ:¹¹ Lest Satan might take advantage of us: for we know his devices.

¹² Furthermore, when I came to Troas with the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me of the LORD,¹³ I could not rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; hence I took leave of them, and left for Mac-e-do''ni-a.¹⁴ Now thanks be to God, who has made us in the pattern of Christ, and makes manifest the savour of his knowledge through us in every place.¹⁵ For we are a sweet savour to God through Christ, in those who are saved and in those who perish:¹⁶ To the one the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is worthy of these things?¹⁷ For we are not like those who corrupt the word of God: but according to the truth, and as men of God we speak through Christ in the sight of God.