Study Desk

But I determined this ^[a]for my own sake, that I ^(a)would not come to you in sorrow again.

For if I ^(b)cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?

This is the very thing I ^(c)wrote you, so that ^(d)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having ^(e)confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I ^(f)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

But ^(g)if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—^[b]in order not to say too much—to all of you.

Sufficient for such a one is ^(h)this punishment which was inflicted by the majority,

so that on the contrary you should rather ⁽ⁱ⁾forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

For to this end also ^(j)I wrote, so that I might ^[c](k)put you to the test, whether you are ^(l)obedient in all things.

But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes ^(m)in the presence of Christ,

so that no advantage would be taken of us by ⁽ⁿ⁾Satan, for ^(o)we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Now when I came to ^(p)Troas for the ^(q)gospel of Christ and when a ^(r)door was opened for me in the Lord,

I ^(s)had no rest for my spirit, not finding ^(t)Titus my brother; but ^(u)taking my leave of them, I went on to ^(v)Macedonia.

^(w)But thanks be to God, who always ^(x)leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the ^(y)sweet aroma of the ^(z)knowledge of Him in every place.

For we are a ^(aa)fragrance of Christ to God among ^(ab)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

^(ac)to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is ^(ad)adequate for these things?

For we are not like many, ^[d](ae)peddling the word of God, but ^(af)as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ ^(ag)in the sight of God.