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Decidí, pues, no causarles de nuevo tristeza con mi visita. Porque si yo los entristezco ¿quién podrá alegrarme a mí? ¡Tendría que ser el mismo a quien yo causé tristeza! Por eso precisamente les escribí como lo hice; para que cuando vaya a visitarlos, no me causen tristeza los que deben ser fuente de gozo para mí. Tanto más cuanto que estoy convencido, en lo que a ustedes respecta, que mi alegría es también la de ustedes. Les escribí, en efecto, bajo el peso de una inmensa congoja, con el corazón lleno de angustia y anegado en lágrimas. Pero no era mi intención entristecerlos; sólo quería hacerles caer en la cuenta de que mi amor por ustedes no tiene límites.

Perdón para el ofensor

Y si alguno ha sido causa de tristeza, lo ha sido no sólo para mí, sino —en parte, al menos, para no exagerar— también para todos ustedes. La mayoría de ustedes ya le ha impuesto un castigo que considero suficiente. Lo que ahora procede es que le perdonen y lo animen no sea que el exceso de tristeza lo empuje a la desesperación. Por eso, les recomiendo que le den pruebas de amor. Precisamente les escribí para comprobar si estaban dispuestos a obedecerme sin reservas. 10 A quien ustedes perdonaron, también yo le perdono; en realidad, lo que yo he perdonado —si algo he tenido que perdonar— lo he hecho por ustedes, y el mismo Cristo es testigo. 11 Hay que evitar que Satanás saque partido de esto, conociendo como conocemos sus ardides.

Breve estancia en Troas

12 Me dirigí, pues, a Troas para anunciar el mensaje de Cristo y, aunque se me ofrecía allí una magnífica oportunidad de trabajar por el Señor, 13 mi corazón estaba sobre ascuas al no encontrar allí a Tito, mi hermano. Así que me despedí de ellos y salí para Macedonia.

II.— EL MINISTERIO APOSTÓLICO (2,14—7,16)

Acción de gracias

14 Gracias sean dadas a Dios que en todo momento nos asocia al cortejo triunfal de Cristo y que, valiéndose de nosotros, esparce por todas partes como suave aroma su conocimiento. 15 Porque tanto entre los que se salvan como entre los que se pierden, somos como buen olor que Cristo ofrece a Dios: 16 para los que se pierden, aroma que lleva inexorablemente a la muerte; para los que se salvan, fragancia que conduce a la vida.

Ministros de la nueva alianza

Y ¿quién estará a la altura de tan gran responsabilidad? 17 Porque no somos como tantos otros que trafican con la palabra de Dios. Al contrario, en la presencia de Dios y unidos a Cristo decimos con sinceridad lo que Dios nos inspira.

So I decided that my next visit to you would not be another ·one to make you sad [painful/sorrowful one; C Paul’s first visit (1:16; 1 Cor. 16:5) had resulted in conflict, rejection, and hurt feelings]. If I ·make you sad [cause you pain/sorrow], who will make me glad? Only you can make me glad—·particularly the person [or those] whom I made sad [C either the church generally, or a particular opponent (vv. 5–10)]. I wrote you a letter for this reason: that when I came to you I would not be made ·sad [sorrowful] by the people who should ·make me happy [bring me joy; C Paul wrote a severe letter (now lost) after his painful visit (v. 1) to call the church to repentance]. I felt sure of all of you, that you would share my joy. When I wrote to you before [v. 3], I was very ·troubled [distressed] and ·unhappy [anguished] in my heart, and I wrote with many tears. I did not write to make you ·sad [sorrowful], but to let you know how much I love you.

Forgive the Sinner

·Someone [L If someone…; C evidently the ringleader who opposed Paul on his previous visit (v. 1)] there among you has caused sadness, ·not [L …it is not] to me, but to all of you. I mean he caused sadness to all ·in some way [or to some extent]. (I do not want to ·make it sound worse than it really is [exaggerate; put it too severely].) The punishment that ·most of you [the majority] gave him is enough for him [C the church as a whole has now sided with Paul and disciplined this individual]. But now you should forgive him and ·comfort [encourage] him to keep him from ·having too much sadness and giving up completely [being overwhelmed/swallowed up by excessive sorrow/grief]. So I ·beg [urge; encourage] you to ·show [reaffirm] that you love him. I wrote you to test you and to see if you obey in everything [C Paul’s “severe” letter (vv. 1, 3) evidently called the church to submit again to his authority]. 10 If you forgive someone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if I had anything to forgive—I forgave it for you, ·as if Christ were with me [or in the presence of Christ]. 11 I did this so that Satan would not ·win anything from [outwit; take advantage of] us, because we ·know very well [L are not ignorant of] what Satan’s ·plans [schemes; intentions] are.

Paul’s Concern in Troas

12 When I came to Troas [C a city in northwest Asia Minor; Acts 16:8, 11; 20:5–6; 2 Tim. 4:13] to preach the Good News of Christ, ·the Lord gave me a good opportunity there [L a door opened for me by/in the Lord]. 13 But I had no ·peace [L rest in my spirit], because I did not find my brother Titus [Gal. 2:1–3; Titus 1:4–5]. So I said good-bye to them at Troas and went to Macedonia [1:16; Acts 20:1–3]. [C Paul evidently sent his severe letter (vv. 1, 3, 9) with Titus, and now awaited the church’s response. Starting in v. 14 he digresses into a long expression of joy because of their favorable reaction (2:14—7:1). He picks up the story again in 7:5.]

Victory Through Christ

14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s victory ·parade [procession; C the image is of a victorious Roman general leading his army and his captives through the streets]. God uses us to spread ·his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume [L the aroma/fragrance of the knowledge of him; C incense or spices were burned during such victory parades]. 15 ·Our offering to God is this: [or For God’s sake; or To God] We are the ·sweet smell [aroma; fragrance] of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are ·being lost [perishing; headed for destruction]. 16 To those who are ·lost [perishing; headed for destruction], we are the ·smell [aroma] of death that brings death, but to those who are being saved, we are the ·smell [aroma] of life that brings life. So who is ·able [qualified; adequate] to do this work? 17 We do not ·sell [peddle] the word of God for a profit as many other people do. But in Christ we speak the truth ·before [in the presence of] God, as ·messengers of [envoys of; L from] God.

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

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

And 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.

For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

10 To 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;

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

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

13 I 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.

14 Now 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.

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

16 To 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?

17 For 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.

So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.(A) For if I grieve you,(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 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. 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

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. The punishment(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(I) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 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)

For I made up my mind (A)not to make another painful visit to you. For (B)if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, (C)for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For (D)I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Forgive the Sinner

Now (E)if anyone has caused pain, (F)he has caused it not to me, but (G)in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, (H)this punishment by the majority is enough, so (I)you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might (J)test you and know (K)whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for (L)we are not ignorant of his designs.

Triumph in Christ

12 When (M)I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though (N)a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit (O)was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

14 But (P)thanks be to God, who in Christ always (Q)leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads (R)the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among (S)those who are being saved and among (T)those who are perishing, 16 (U)to one a fragrance from death to death, (V)to the other a fragrance from life to life. (W)Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.