Forgive and Comfort the Offender

But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow, but class="idiom trans-change">to some degree—class="idiom trans-change">in order not to say too much—class="trans-change">to all class="trans-change">of you.

This punishment by the majority class="trans-change">is sufficient for such a person.

So then, you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow this person should be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Therefore I urge you to confirm class="trans-change">your love for him.

Because for this class="trans-change">reason also I wrote, in order that I could know your proven character, whether you are obedient in everything.

Now to whomever you forgive anything, I also class="trans-change">do; for indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, class="trans-change">it is class="idiom trans-change">for your sake in the presence of Christ,

in order that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

Triumphant Ministry in Christ

Now class="trans-change">when I arrived in Troas for the gospel of Christ and a door was opened for me by the Lord,

I did not experience rest in my spirit, class="trans-change">because I did not find Titus my brother, but saying farewell to them, I departed for Macedonia.

But thanks class="trans-change">be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and who reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of him through us in every place.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

For we are not like the majority who peddle the word of God, but as from pure motives—but as from God—we speak before God in Christ.

New Covenant Ministry

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or class="trans-change">do we, like some, need letters of recommendation to you or from you?

You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all people,

revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, inscribed not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

Now we possess such confidence through Christ toward God.

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our adequacy class="trans-change">is from God,

who also makes us adequate class="trans-change">as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But if the ministry of death in letters carved on stone came with glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to look intently into the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, which was transitory,

how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more with glory?

For if class="trans-change">there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, by much more will the ministry of righteousness overflow with glory.

For indeed what had been glorified has not been glorified in this case, on account of the glory that surpasses class="trans-change">it.

For if what was transitory class="trans-change">came with glory, by much more what remains class="trans-change">is with glory.

Therefore, class="trans-change">because we have such a hope, we use much boldness,

and not as Moses used to place a veil over his face, in order that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was transitory.