Grief and forgiveness
(Parallel teachings: Matthew 18:15-35)
(Thematic parallels: 1 Corinthians 5; see note on verse 6)
- 1 For I decided this within myself, not to come to you in grief again.
- 2 For if I grieve you, what man is even making me glad except the man being grieved by me?
- 3 And I wrote this same thing so that having come, I wouldn’t have grief from men who ought to make me rejoice, *trusting in all of you that my joy is the joy of you all.
- 4 For I wrote to you from much inward affliction and anguish of heart, through many tears. Not so that you might be grieved, but so that you might know the ^love that I have more abundantly for you.
- 5 But if someone has grieved anyone, it wasn’t me that he has grieved; but he has grieved all of you in part (so that I wouldn’t make this point burdensome).
- 6 This punishment by the majorityfn“the majority” is literally “the more part”. Note: “This punishment by the majority” is likely a reference to Church discipline which Jesus set forth in Matthew 18:15-20. In Paul’s previous letter to the Corinthians, he mentioned an immoral man who was sleeping with his father’s wife. Paul told the Corinthians to put him out of the church and shun him (as Jesus directed in Matthew 18). This was a “punishment by the majority” and Paul says that’s sufficient. Some modern commentators instead believe this refers to a personal offence against Paul. is sufficient for such a man.
- 7 So on the contrary, you are rather to freely forgive and to comfort him, lest somehow such a man be swallowed by more abundant grief.
- 8 For this reason, I urge you to confirm your ^love to him.
- 9 For I also wrote for this reason: so that I might test you and know the result,fn“test you and… …the result ” is one word in Greek. It properly refers to the process or result of a test/trial, and can include the evidence used to come to the result. whether you’re obedient in all things.
- 10 And whomever you freely forgive for anything, I do also. And for whatever I have freely forgiven (if I have freely forgiven anything), it’s for your sake in the presence of the Anointed,
- 11 so that we aren’t taken advantage of by Satan, for we aren’t ignorant of his schemes. CFThematic parallels: 1 Corinthians 7:5; Ephesians 6:11
Opportunity and victory
(Parallel accounts: Acts 20:1–3)
(Thematic parallels: 1 Corinthians 4:9-13)
- 12 And having come to Troas for the good news of the Anointed, a door has also been opened for me in the Lord. CFThematic parallels: 1 Corinthians 16:8-9; Colossians 4:3
- 13 But I don’t *have rest in my spirit because of me not finding Titus my brother. But having bid them farewell, I departed into Macedonia.
- 14 But thanks be to God, the One always leading us in a triumphal processionfn“leading… …in a triumphal procession” is one word in Greek. It properly refers to a victor parading around to celebrate their victory and displaying the defeated enemy as part of the procession. in the Anointed, and making the aroma of the knowledge of Him obvious through us in every place. CFThematic parallels: Colossians 2:15; Ephesians 5:2
- 15 For we are a sweet fragrance of the Anointed to Godfnquotation/allusion to Genesis 8:21; Exodus 29:18; Leviticus 1:9 (also quoted/alluded to by Eph 5:2; Phil 4:18) in the men being saved and in the men perishing,
- 16 to whom an aroma from death indeed leads into death, and to whom an aroma from life leads into life. CFParallel teachings: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 And who is fit for these things?
- 17 For we aren’t like the many who are peddling a corruptedfn“peddling a corrupted” is one word in Greek. It refers to a huckster selling/peddling products, often a tainted or low quality version of the product for sordid gain (e.g. selling watered-down wine as full strength wine). version of the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak before God in the Anointed. CFParallel teachings: 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6