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 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 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.
爱之深责之切
1我已经决定了，下次到你们那里时不再使大家忧伤。 2如果我使你们忧伤，那么除了因我而忧伤的你们，还有谁能使我喜乐呢？ 3我曾为这事写信给你们，免得我到你们那里时，那些本该使我喜乐的人反而使我忧伤。我也深信你们会以我的喜乐为你们的喜乐。 4我心里万分难过、泪流满面地给你们写了前一封信，并非要使你们忧伤，而是要你们明白我是多么爱你们。
要饶恕犯罪的人
5那个令人忧伤的人与其说使我忧伤，倒不如说使大家都有几分忧伤。我只说几分忧伤，是怕说得太重。 6这样的人受了众人的谴责也就够了。 7你们现在要饶恕他、安慰他，免得他忧伤过度而一蹶不振。 8我劝你们要让他确实知道你们仍然爱他。 9为此，我也曾写信给你们，要考验你们，看你们是否凡事顺服。 10你们饶恕谁，我也饶恕谁。我若饶恕，是为了你们的缘故在基督面前饶恕的， 11免得撒旦乘虚而入，因为我们并非不知道它的诡计。
基督的香气
12我前往特罗亚传扬基督的福音时，主为我打开了传福音的大门。 13那时，因为没有找到提多弟兄，我心里不安，便辞别众人前往马其顿。
14感谢上帝，祂常常在基督里率领我们走在凯旋的行列中，又借着我们到处散发那因认识基督而有的香气。 15不论是在得救的人当中还是在灭亡的人当中，对上帝来说，我们都是基督的馨香之气。 16对灭亡的人而言，这香气是叫人死亡的香气；对得救的人来说，这香气却是叫人得生命的香气。谁能担当这样的重任呢？ 17我们并不像许多人为了牟利而出卖上帝的道。我们是上帝差遣的，在上帝面前靠着基督诚诚实实地讲道。
