2 Corinthians · Free Bible Version
2 Corinthians 2 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
FBV Free Bible Version
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 That's why I decided that I would avoid another sad visit with you.
1 But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.
1 Ἔκρινα δὲ ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο, τὸ μὴ πάλιν ἐν λύπῃ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
2 For if I make you sad, who will be there to make me happy? It won't be those I've made sad!
2 For if I make you grieve, then who will make me glad but he who is made to grieve by me?
2 εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼ λυπῶ ὑμᾶς, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ εὐφραίνων με εἰ μὴ ὁ λυπούμενος ἐξ ἐμοῦ;
3 That's why I wrote what I did, so that I wouldn't be sad over those who should make me happy. I was so sure that all of you would share in my happiness.
3 And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be shared by all of you.
3 καὶ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν τοῦτο αὐτό, ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην ἔχω ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν, πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστιν.
4 I was crying many tears when I wrote to you, in great anguish and with a heavy heart—not to make you sad, but so you would know how much love I have for you.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made to grieve, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.
4 ἐκ γὰρ πολλῆς θλίψεως καὶ συνοχῆς καρδίας ἔγραψα ὑμῖν διὰ πολλῶν δακρύων, οὐχ ἵνα λυπηθῆτε, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἵνα γνῶτε ἣν ἔχω περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς.
5 Not to put it too strongly, but the person caused more pain to all of you than to me.
5 But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.
5 Εἰ δέ τις λελύπηκεν, οὐκ ἐμὲ λελύπηκεν, ἀλλά, ἀπὸ μέρους ἵνα μὴ ἐπιβαρῶ, πάντας ὑμᾶς.
6 This person suffered enough punishment from the majority of you,
6 This punishment which was inflicted by the many is sufficient for such a one;
6 ἱκανὸν τῷ τοιούτῳ ἡ ἐπιτιμία αὕτη ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν πλειόνων·
7 so now you should forgive him and be kind to him. Otherwise he may sink into despair.
7 so that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.
7 ὥστε τοὐναντίον μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς χαρίσασθαι καὶ παρακαλέσαι, μήπως τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταποθῇ ὁ τοιοῦτος.
8 So I urge you to publicly affirm your love towards him.
8 Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.
8 διὸ παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς κυρῶσαι εἰς αὐτὸν ἀγάπην.
9 That's why I wrote, so I could discoverer your true character and whether you're doing everything you were told to do.
9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.
9 εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἔγραψα, ἵνα γνῶ τὴν δοκιμὴν ὑμῶν, εἰ εἰς πάντα ὑπήκοοί ἐστε.
10 Anyone you forgive, I forgive too. What I have forgiven, whatever it may be, I have forgiven before Christ for your benefit.
10 Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
10 ᾧ δέ τι χαρίζεσθε, καὶ ἐγώ· καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ εἴ τι κεχάρισμαι ᾧ κεχάρισμαι, δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐν προσώπῳ Χριστοῦ,
11 In this way Satan will not be able to take us in, because we know the tricks he thinks up.
11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
11 ἵνα μὴ πλεονεκτηθῶμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ σατανᾶ· οὐ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ νοήματα ἀγνοοῦμεν.
12 Now when I arrived in Troas to spread the good news of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.
12 Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,
12 Ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν Τρῳάδα εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ θύρας μοι ἀνεῳγμένης ἐν Κυρίῳ,
13 But my mind wasn't at peace because I couldn't find my brother Titus. So I said goodbye and went over to Macedonia.
13 I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.
13 οὐκ ἔσχηκα ἄνεσιν τῷ πνεύματί μου τῷ μὴ εὑρεῖν με Τίτον τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, ἀλλὰ ἀποταξάμενος αὐτοῖς ἐξῆλθον εἰς Μακεδονίαν.
14 But praise be to God, who always leads us in a triumphal procession in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet scent of his knowledge wherever we go!
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.
14 Τῷ δὲ Θεῷ χάρις τῷ πάντοτε θριαμβεύοντι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ καὶ τὴν ὀσμὴν τῆς γνώσεως αὐτοῦ φανεροῦντι δι᾽ ἡμῶν ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ·
15 We are like a fragrance of Christ to God, rising up from among those who are being saved as well as those who are dying.
15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God in those who are being saved and in those who perish:
15 ὅτι Χριστοῦ εὐωδία ἐσμὲν τῷ Θεῷ ἐν τοῖς σῳζομένοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις,
16 To those who are dying it is the smell of decay, while to those who are being saved it is the scent of life! But who is up to such an assignment?
16 to the one a stench from death to death, to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
16 οἷς μὲν ὀσμὴ θανάτου εἰς θάνατον, οἷς δὲ ὀσμὴ ζωῆς εἰς ζωήν. καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα τίς ἱκανός;
17 We are not like the majority who trade in the word of God for profit. Quite the opposite: we are sincere in sharing the word of God in Christ, knowing God is watching us.
17 For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.
17 οὐ γάρ ἐσμεν ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ καπηλεύοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐξ εἰλικρινείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐκ Θεοῦ κατενώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν.
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)