The Second to the Corinthians 2:1-17

  • Paul’s intention to bring joy (1-4)

  • A sinner forgiven and reinstated (5-11)

  • Paul in Troas and Macedonia (12, 13)

  • The ministry, a triumphal procession (14-17)

    • Not peddlers of God’s word (17)

2  For I have made up my mind not to come to you again in sadness.  For if I make you sad, who will be there to cheer me up except the one I saddened?  I wrote what I did, so that when I come I may not be saddened by those over whom I ought to rejoice, because I have confidence that what brings me joy brings all of you the same joy.  For out of much tribulation and anguish of heart I wrote you with many tears, not to sadden you,+ but to let you know the depth of love I have for you.  Now if anyone has caused sadness,+ he has saddened, not me, but all of you to an extent​—⁠not to be too harsh in what I say.  This rebuke given by the majority is sufficient for such a man;  now you should instead kindly forgive and comfort him,+ so that he may not be overwhelmed* by excessive sadness.+  I therefore exhort you to confirm your love for him.+  For this is also why I wrote to you: to determine whether you would give proof of your obedience in all things. 10  If you forgive anyone for anything, I do also. In fact, whatever I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) has been for your sake in Christ’s sight, 11  so that we may not be overreached* by Satan,+ for we are not ignorant of his designs.*+ 12  Now when I arrived in Troʹas+ to declare the good news about the Christ and a door was opened to me in the Lord, 13  my spirit felt no relief because of not finding Titus+ my brother. So I said good-bye to them and departed for Mac·e·doʹni·a.+ 14  But thanks be to God, who always leads us in a triumphal procession in company with the Christ and through us spreads* the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place! 15  For to God we are a sweet fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16  to the latter ones an odor* of death leading to death,+ to the former ones a fragrance of life leading to life. And who is adequately qualified for these things? 17  We are, for we are not peddlers of* the word of God+ as many men are, but we speak in all sincerity as sent from God, yes, in the sight of God and in company with Christ.

Footnotes

Or “swallowed up.”
Or “outwitted.”
Or “intentions; schemes.”
Or “makes perceptible.”
Or “fragrance.”
Or “not commercializing; not making profit from.”