Forgiveness for the Offender
Study note
Paul explains that his previous painful letter was written out of love, not to cause hurt. Now that the offending individual has been disciplined, Paul urges the church to extend forgiveness and comfort to prevent the person from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. He warns that unforgiveness can become an opening for Satan's schemes, highlighting the spiritual warfare dimension of community reconciliation.
1 So I decided that my next visit to you should not be another painful one. But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2 After all, if I make you sad, who will be left to cheer me up? Only you -- the very people I made sad. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
3 That is exactly why I wrote that letter instead of coming in person. I did not want to arrive and feel sad because of the people who should be making me happy. I was sure that what makes me happy would make all of you happy too. And I wrote this same unto you, 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 When I wrote to you, I was in deep pain and my heart was heavy. I had tears streaming down my face. I was not trying to hurt you. I wanted you to see how much I care about you. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
5 If someone caused pain, he did not hurt me -- he hurt all of you to some degree. I do not want to come down too hard on him. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6 The way most of you dealt with that man was punishment enough. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 Now it is time to forgive him and build him back up. If you do not, he might drown in sadness. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 So I am asking you to show him that you truly do love him. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9 Part of the reason I wrote was to see if you would follow through and do the right thing. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10 When you forgive someone, I forgive them too. And anything I have forgiven, I forgave it for your benefit, with Christ watching. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 We do this so Satan cannot get an advantage over us. We are well aware of his tricks. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Triumph and Fragrance in Christ
Study note
Paul briefly mentions his restless search for Titus at Troas, then bursts into a thanksgiving for God's triumphal procession in Christ. Using the imagery of a Roman victory parade, he describes believers as the fragrance of Christ -- a scent of life to those being saved and of death to those perishing. He concludes by distinguishing genuine apostolic ministry from those who peddle God's word for personal profit.
12 When I arrived in Troas to share the good news about Christ, the Lord opened up a great opportunity for me. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
13 But my heart was restless because I could not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye and traveled on to Macedonia. I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
14 Thank God, though! He always leads us in a victory parade through our connection to Christ! And through us, he spreads the knowledge of who he is everywhere, like a beautiful fragrance. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 To God, we are like the sweet smell of Christ. This fragrance reaches both people who are being saved and people who are headed for destruction. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To one group, we smell like death that leads to death. To the other, we smell like life that leads to life. Who could possibly be good enough for a job like this? To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 We are not like those many people who sell God's message to make money. No, we speak with pure hearts because God sent us, and we speak while standing right before God, all through our connection to Christ. For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.