2 Corinthians 2

But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

1So I made up my mind not to visit you again and make you sad.

2For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

2If I make you sad, who is left to cheer me up? Only the very people I made sad.

3And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

3That is why I wrote a letter instead of coming. I did not want to be sad because of people who should make me glad. I trusted that when I am happy, you are happy too.

4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

4I was hurting inside when I wrote, and I cried many tears. I did not write to make you sad. I wrote so you would know how much I love you.

5But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

5If someone caused pain, he did not hurt only me. He hurt all of you a little. I do not want to say more than is fair.

6Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

6Most of you punished that man. That punishment is enough for him.

7So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

7Now do the opposite. Forgive him and cheer him up. If you do not, too much sadness might swallow him up.

8Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

8So I am asking you: show that man clearly that you still love him.

9For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

9I also wrote to see how you would act. I wanted to know if you would obey in everything.

10To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

10If you forgive someone, I forgive him too. Anything I have forgiven, I forgave for your good, with Christ watching me.

11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

11I did this so Satan cannot get the better of us. We know the sneaky things he does.

12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

12I went to the city of Troas to tell people the good news about Christ. The Lord opened a door there for my work.

13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

13But my heart could not rest, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to the region of Macedonia.

14Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

14Thank God! He always leads us in Christ's victory parade. And he uses us to spread the sweet smell of knowing him everywhere.

Note"Triumph" here points to a Roman victory parade, where a winning leader marched through the city. "Savour" is an old word for smell.

15For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

15To God, we smell like Christ. That is true among people who are being saved and people who are dying.

16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

16To one group, that smell means death. To the other group, it means life. Who is good enough for a job like this?

Note"The savour of death unto death" and "the savour of life unto life" mean a smell that goes with death, and a smell that goes with life.

17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

17Many people sell God's word to make money. We are not like them. We speak honestly, joined to Christ, sent by God, with God watching us.

Note"Corrupt the word of God" in 1611 English meant selling God's message like a trader selling goods for profit, not simply spoiling it.