2 Corinthians 2

But I decided this for my own sake, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.

For if I cause you sorrow, who then is the one who makes me glad but the one who I make sorrowful?

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not have sorrow from those in whom I should have rejoiced, having confidence in you all, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not so that you would be made sorrowful, but so that you would know the abundant love that I have for you.

But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in some degree (not to put it too strongly) to you all.

For such a one this punishment inflicted by the majority is enough,

so that on the contrary, you should rather forgive him and comfort him, otherwise perhaps such a one would be swallowed up with excessive sorrow.

Therefore I urge you to confirm your love toward him.

For this is even why I wrote: to see if you would pass the test and be obedient in everything.

But to whom you forgive anything, I forgive it also, for what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,

so that the Adversary gain no advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Now when I came to Troas for the good news of Christ, even though a door had been opened to me in the Lord,

I had no relief for my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother, so saying goodbye to them, I departed into Macedonia.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in a triumphal procession in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place.

For we are the fragrance of Christ to God among those on the road to salvation, and among those on the road to destruction.

To the one we are a deadly aroma leading to death, to the other a life-giving aroma leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not like many others who peddle the word of God for personal gain; on the contrary, we speak with sincerity, and, as those sent from God, we speak in the sight of God in connection with Christ.