Now when I arrived in Troas<n id="1" /> to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened<n id="2" /> a door of opportunity<n id="3" /> for me,

to the latter an odor<n id="1" /> from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?<n id="2" />

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,

For we do not proclaim<n id="1" /> ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves<n id="2" /> for Jesus&#8217; sake.

Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose<n id="1" /> is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.<n id="2" />

Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away<n id="1" /> from the body and at home with the Lord.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.<n id="1" />

For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

<t /><p class="bodytext">But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion<n id="1" /> I have for you,

And we are sending<n id="1" /> along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.<n id="2" />

My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously<n id="1" /> will also reap generously.

And even if I am unskilled<n id="1" /> in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.

On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives!<n id="1" /> If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.<n id="1" />

For we do not write you anything other than what<n id="1" /> you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely<n id="2" />

If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him &#8211; for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ,

<t /><p class="bodytext">But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession<n id="1" /> in Christ<n id="2" /> and who makes known<n id="3" /> through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.