1 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me? 3 And I wrote this very thing, 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. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. 6 Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was [inflicted] by the many; 7 so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm [your] love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. 10 But to whom ye forgive anything, I [forgive] also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes [have I forgiven it] in the presence of Christ; 11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 12 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, 13 I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. 14 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. 15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
2 Corinthians · American Standard Version (1901)
2 Corinthians 2 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Titus
A Greek coworker of Paul, not compelled to be circumcised, who carried Paul's letters to Corinth, and whom Paul left in Crete to set things in order.
Cited in the guide: 2 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Galatians 2:3
Cross references (17)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Corinthians 13:10; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 12:20–21; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 4:21
- 2 2 Corinthians 7:8; 1 Corinthians 12:26; Romans 12:15; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 11:29
- 3 Galatians 5:10; 2 Corinthians 8:22; Philemon 21; 2 Thessalonians 3:4; 2 Corinthians 7:12
- 4 2 Corinthians 7:12; Proverbs 27:5–6; Leviticus 19:17–18; Luke 19:41–44; 2 Corinthians 11:2
- 5 1 Corinthians 5:12–13; Galatians 4:12; Galatians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 5:1–5; Proverbs 17:25
- 6 1 Corinthians 5:4–5; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Corinthians 13:10; 2 Corinthians 7:11
- 7 Ephesians 4:32; Galatians 6:1–2; Colossians 3:13; Isaiah 28:7; Proverbs 17:22
- 8 Jude 22–23; Galatians 6:10; Galatians 5:13; Galatians 6:1–2
- 9 2 Corinthians 10:6; Philemon 21; Philippians 2:22; 2 Corinthians 7:12–15; 2 Corinthians 8:24
- 10 John 20:23; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Matthew 18:18; 1 Corinthians 5:4
- 11 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11–12; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Luke 22:31
- 12 Acts 16:8; Acts 14:27; Colossians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Revelation 3:7–8
- 13 2 Corinthians 7:5–6; 2 Corinthians 12:18; Galatians 2:1; 2 Timothy 4:10; 2 Corinthians 8:6
- 14 Ephesians 5:2; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 2:15–16; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Romans 6:17
- 15 Ephesians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Ezekiel 20:41; Philippians 4:18; Genesis 8:21
- 16 2 Corinthians 3:5–6; John 9:39; 1 Peter 2:7–8; Luke 2:34; 1 Corinthians 15:10
- 17 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Peter 2:1–3; 2 Timothy 4:3–4; 1 Timothy 4:1–3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
These words seem on the one hand to be unworthy of Paul, if because of a brother's absence he threw away so great an opportunity of saving; and on the other, to hang apart from the context. What then?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
… strain also the Apostle Paul, inasmuch as he had a good conscience, said to the Corinthians: "For we are not as many, who corrupt the Word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ;" "We have injured no man, corrupted no man, circumvented no man."
To the one we are the savor of life unto life, to the other the savor of death unto death: and who is sufficient for these things?" The lesson of the holy Gospel before us affords us the opportunity of so speaking of that savor, that we on our part may give worthy utterance, and you diligent heed, to what …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Now if ye grieve at hearing these things, I thank you much, for "who is he that maketh me glad, but he which is made sorry by me?" Do not then ever cease to grieve and be vexed for them, for the sorrow that comes of such things will be to you a beginning of a change for the better.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Then on the nostrils; that receiving the sacred ointment ye may say, We are to God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)