2 Corinthians 2 - New International Version (NIV)

2 1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(A) 2 For if I grieve you,(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did,(C) so that when I came I would not be distressed(D) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence(E) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you(F) out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Forgiveness for the Offender

5 If anyone has caused grief,(G) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(I) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you(J) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(K) 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan(L) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(M)

Ministers of the New Covenant

12 Now when I went to Troas(N) to preach the gospel of Christ(O) and found that the Lord had opened a door(P) for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind,(Q) because I did not find my brother Titus(R) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.(S)

14 But thanks be to God,(T) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma(U) of the knowledge(V) of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma(W) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.(X) 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death;(Y) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?(Z) 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(AA) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(AB) as those sent from God.(AC)

Cross references

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:1 : S 2Co 1:23
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:2 : 2Co 7:8
  3. 2 Corinthians 2:3 : ver 4, 9; 2Co 7:8, 12
  4. 2 Corinthians 2:3 : 2Co 12:21
  5. 2 Corinthians 2:3 : 2Co 7:16; 8:22; Gal 5:10; 2Th 3:4; Phm 21
  6. 2 Corinthians 2:4 : ver 3, 9; 2Co 7:8, 12
  7. 2 Corinthians 2:5 : 1Co 5:1, 2
  8. 2 Corinthians 2:6 : 1Co 5:4, 5; 2Co 7:11
  9. 2 Corinthians 2:7 : Gal 6:1; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13
  10. 2 Corinthians 2:9 : ver 3, 4; 2Co 7:8, 12
  11. 2 Corinthians 2:9 : 2Co 7:15; 10:6
  12. 2 Corinthians 2:11 : S Mt 4:10
  13. 2 Corinthians 2:11 : Lk 22:31; 2Co 4:4; 1Pe 5:8, 9
  14. 2 Corinthians 2:12 : S Ac 16:8
  15. 2 Corinthians 2:12 : S Ro 1:1; 2Co 4:3, 4; 8:18; 9:13; 1Th 3:2
  16. 2 Corinthians 2:12 : S Ac 14:27
  17. 2 Corinthians 2:13 : 2Co 7:5
  18. 2 Corinthians 2:13 : 2Co 7:6, 13; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18; Gal 2:1, 3; Tit 1:4
  19. 2 Corinthians 2:13 : S Ac 16:9
  20. 2 Corinthians 2:14 : Ro 6:17; 7:25; 1Co 15:57; 2Co 9:15
  21. 2 Corinthians 2:14 : Eze 20:41; Eph 5:2; Php 4:18
  22. 2 Corinthians 2:14 : S 2Co 8:7
  23. 2 Corinthians 2:15 : S ver 14; Ge 8:21; Ex 29:18; Nu 15:3
  24. 2 Corinthians 2:15 : S 1Co 1:18
  25. 2 Corinthians 2:16 : S Lk 2:34; Jn 3:36
  26. 2 Corinthians 2:16 : 2Co 3:5, 6
  27. 2 Corinthians 2:17 : S Ac 20:33; 2Co 4:2; 1Th 2:5
  28. 2 Corinthians 2:17 : 1Co 5:8
  29. 2 Corinthians 2:17 : 2Co 1:12; 12:19

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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)

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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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