1So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4For I wrote to you 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
5If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent – not to put it too severely. 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9Another reason I wrote to you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10Anyone 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, 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Ministers of the new covenant
12Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
12:1 2Ko 1:23Kino nakimalirira munda mu nze obutakomawo nate eyo nneme okubanakuwaza. 22:2 2Ko 7:8Kubanga bwe nnaabanakuwaza, ani anansanyusa wabula oyo gwe nnaanakuwaza? 32:3 a 2Ko 7:8, 12 b 2Ko 12:21 c 2Ko 8:22; Bag 5:10Kyennava mbawandiikira ebyo byennyini bwe ndijja nneme kunakuwazibwa abo abandinsanyusizza, nga nnesiga nti essanyu lyange lye lyammwe mwenna. 42:4 2Ko 7:8, 12Nabawandiikira wakati mu kubonaabona okungi n’okunyolwa mu mutima, era nga nkaaba amaziga mangi, si lwa kubanakuwaza, naye mutegeere okwagala okungi ennyo kwe nnina gye muli.
52:5 1Ko 5:1, 2Bwe wabaawo eyanakuwaza munne, teyanakuwaza nze, si kulwa nga mbazitoowerera mwenna. 62:6 1Ko 5:4, 5Omuntu ng’oyo ekibonerezo ekyamuweebwa abangi kimumala; 72:7 Bag 6:1; Bef 4:32kyekiva kisaana mmwe okumusonyiwa n’okumuzzaamu amaanyi si kulwa ng’ennaku emuyitirirako n’emuyinga obungi. 8Noolwekyo mbakuutira okwongera okumukakasa nti mumwagala. 92:9 2Ko 10:6Kyennava mbawandiikira ndyoke ntegeere obanga muli bawulize mu nsonga zonna. 10Bwe musonyiwa omuntu mu nsonga yonna, nange mmunsonyiwa, kubanga bwe mba nga nsonyiye, nsonyiye ku lwammwe mu maaso ga Kristo. 112:11 a Mat 4:10 b Luk 22:31; 2Ko 4:4; 1Pe 5:8, 9Setaani alemenga okutuwangula, kubanga tumanyi enkwe ze.
Pawulo mu Tulowa
122:12 a Bik 16:8 b Bar 1:1 c Bik 14:27Bwe natuuka mu Tulowa olw’enjiri ya Kristo, Mukama n’anzigulirawo oluggi, 132:13 a 2Ko 7:5 b 2Ko 7:6, 13; 12:18saawumula mu mutima gwange, bwe ssaalaba owooluganda Tito. Bwe namala okubasiibula ne ndaga e Makedoniya.
Obuwanguzi mu Kristo
142:14 a Bar 6:17 b Bef 5:2; Baf 4:18Katonda yeebazibwe atuwanguzisa bulijjo mu Kristo Yesu, n’akawoowo ak’okumanya, ke tubunyisa wonna. 152:15 1Ko 1:18Tuli kawoowo eri Katonda olwa Kristo mu abo abalokolebwa ne mu abo abatannalokolebwa. 162:16 a Luk 2:34 b 2Ko 3:5, 6Eri abatannalokolebwa, akawoowo kaffe ka kufa akatuusa mu kufa, naye eri abalokolebwa, ke kawoowo akongera obulamu ku bulamu. Kale ebyo ani abisobola? 172:17 a 2Ko 4:2 b 1Ko 5:8 c 2Ko 1:12Tetuli ng’abangi abakozesa ekigambo kya Katonda olw’okwenoonyeza ebyabwe, naye ffe twogera nga tetuliimu bukuusa. Naye twogera okuva eri Katonda era mu maaso ga Katonda, kubanga twogerera mu Kristo nga tetwekomoma.
