2 Corinthians 2 - J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

2 1-4 And I made up my mind that I would not pay you another painful visit. For what point is there in my depressing the very people who can give me such joy? The real purpose of my previous letter was in fact to save myself from being saddened by those whom I might reasonably expect to bring me joy. I have such confidence in you that my joy depends on all of you! I wrote to you in deep distress and out of a most unhappy heart (I don’t mind telling you I shed tears over that letter), not, believe me, to cause you pain but to show you how deep is my care for your welfare.

A word of explanation

5-11 There was a reason for my stern words; this is my advice now. If the behaviour of a certain person has caused distress, it does not mean so much that he has injured me, but that to some extent (I do not wish to exaggerate), he has injured all of you. But now I think that the punishment you have inflicted on him has been sufficient. Now is the time to offer him forgiveness and comfort, for it is possible for a man in his position to be completely overwhelmed by remorse. I ask you to show him plainly now that you love him. My previous letter was something of a test—I wanted to make sure that you would follow my orders implicitly. If you will forgive a certain person, rest assured that I forgive him too. Insofar as I had anything personally to forgive, I do forgive him, as before Christ. We don’t want Satan to win any victory here, and well we know his methods!

And a further confidence

12-13 Well, when I came to Troas to preach the Gospel of Christ, although there was an obvious God-given opportunity, I must confess I was on edge the whole time because there was no sign of brother Titus. So I said good-bye and went from there to Macedonia.

14-16a Thanks be to God who leads us, wherever we are, on his own triumphant way and makes our knowledge of him spread throughout the world like a lovely perfume! We Christians have the unmistakeable “scent” of Christ, discernible alike to those who are being saved and to those who are heading for death. To the latter it seems like the very smell of doom, to the former it has the fresh fragrance of life itself.

16b-17 Who could think himself adequate for a responsibility like this? Only the man who refuses to join that large class which trafficks in the Word of God—the man who speaks, as we do, in the name of God, under the eyes of God, as Christ’s chosen minister.

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2 Corinthians 2 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 And I decided this to myself, not again to come in sorrow unto you, 2 for if I make you sorry, then who is he who is making me glad, except he who is made sorry by me? 3 and I wrote to you this same thing, that having come, I may not have sorrow from them of whom it behoved me to have joy, having ...
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2 Corinthians 2 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

2 And I ordained this [same] thing at me, that I should not come again in heaviness to you [in sorrow to you]. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he that gladdeth me, but he that is sorrowful of me? 3 And this same thing I wrote to you, that when I come, I have not sorrow on sorrow, of the which it...
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2 Corinthians 2 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

2 I made up my mind that I would not go to visit you again if I had to make you sad. 2 For if I make you sad, who is going to make me glad? No one, but the one I made sad. 3 That is why I wrote the letter. I did not want to come and be made sad by those who should make me glad. I am sure that what m...
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2 Corinthians 2 - World English Bible (WEB)

2 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow. 2 For if I make you grieve, then who will make me glad but he who is made to grieve by me? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; havi...
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2 Corinthians 2 - The Voice (VOICE)

The believers in Corinth are exhausting Paul and one another with their negativity and criticism. Nothing destroys the beauty of Christian community more aggressively than these kinds of patterns.2 I finally determined that I would not come to you again for yet another agonizing visit. 2 If my visi...
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2 Corinthians 2 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Forgive the Repentant Sinner2 So I made up my mind that I would not come to you again causing sorrow. 2 For if I cause you sorrow, then who is there cheering me on but the one I have made sorrowful? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I wouldn’t have sorrow from those who oug...
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2 Corinthians 2 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

2 1 For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, t...
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2 Corinthians 2 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

2 But this I determined in myself: that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I grieve you, who then should make me glad but the same one who is grieved by me? 3 And I wrote this same thing to you, lest when I come, I should not be grieved by those in whom I ought to rejoice, having conf...
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2 Corinthians 2 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

2 You see, I settled it in my mind that I wouldn’t make you another sad visit. 2 After all, if I make you sad, who is there to cheer me up except the one who is sad because of me? 3 And I wrote what I did so that I wouldn’t come and find sadness where I should have found joy. I have this confidenc...
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2 Corinthians 2 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

2 1 So I made up my mind not to make another visit that causes you grief.(A)2 For if I cause you grief, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have grieved? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came, I might not suffer grief from those who should have made me rejoice, for I am confident a...
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2 Corinthians 2 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

2 1 For by faith you stand. But I determined in myself that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, who is it that should make me glad, but the same who are made sorrowful by me? 3 And I wrote this same epistle to you lest, if I went, I should be made sad by tho...
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2 Corinthians 2 - New Living Translation (NLT)

2 So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. 3 That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest jo...
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2 Corinthians 2 - New Life Version (NLV)

2 As I thought about it, I decided I would not come to you again. It would only make you sad. 2 If I make you sad, who is going to make me happy? How can you make me happy if I make you sad? 3 That is why I wrote that letter to you. I did not want to visit you and be made sad by the ones who shoul...
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2 Corinthians 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Paul Urges Forgiveness2 But I determined this within myself, (A)that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you (B)sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? Forgive the Offender3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, (C)I...
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