< 2 Corinthians 7 >

1 With these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that pollutes either body or spirit, and, in deepest respect for God, aim at perfect holiness.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in fear of God.
2 Make room for us in your hearts. In no instance have we ever wronged, or harmed, or taken advantage of, anyone.
Make room for us. We wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we exploited no man.
3 I am not saying this to condemn you. Indeed, I have already said that you are in our heart, to live and die together.
I speak not for condemnation, for I have said before that ye are in our hearts to die together and to live together.
4 I have the utmost confidence in you; I am always boasting about you. I am full of encouragement and, in spite of all our troubles, my heart is overflowing with happiness.
Great is my boldness toward you, great is my pride for you. I have been filled with encouragement. I over-abound with joy in all our affliction.
5 Ever since we reached Macedonia, we have had no rest in body or mind; on every side there have been troubles – conflicts without, anxieties within.
For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had not one relief, but being oppressed in everything: battles outside, fears within.
6 But God, who encourages the downcast, has encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
Nevertheless God, who encourages the lowly, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
7 And it is not only by his arrival that we are encouraged, but also by the encouragement which he received from you; for he tells us of your strong affection, your penitence, and your zeal on my behalf – so that I am happier still.
And not only by his presence, but also by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you, reporting to us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced the more.
8 For, though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Even if I were inclined to regret it – for I see that my letter did cause you sorrow though only for a time –
Because even though I grieved you in the letter, I am not remorseful (even though I was remorseful), for I perceive that that letter grieved you, even though for an hour.
9 I am glad now; not because of the sorrow it caused you, but because your sorrow brought you to repentance. For it was God’s will that you should feel sorrow, in order that you should not suffer loss in any way at our hands.
Now I rejoice, not that ye were grieved, but that ye were grieved for repentance. For ye were grieved toward God, so that ye might suffer loss from us in nothing.
10 For, when sorrow is in accordance with God’s will, it results in a repentance leading to salvation, and which will never be regretted. The sure result of the sorrow that the world knows is death.
For sorrow toward God works repentance for salvation without regret, but the sorrow of the world works death.
11 For see what results that other sorrow – sorrow in accordance with God’s will – has had in your case. What earnestness it produced! What explanations! What strong feeling! What alarm! What longing! What eagerness! What readiness to punish! You have proved yourselves altogether free from guilt in that matter.
For behold this same thing-your grieving toward God. How much eagerness it worked in you, even a defense, even indignation, even fear, even longing, even zeal, even vengeance! In everything ye demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.
12 So, then, even though I did write to you, it was not for the sake of the wrongdoer, or of the man who was wronged, but to make you conscious, in the sight of God, of your own earnest care for us. And it is this that has encouraged us.
And so then, although I wrote to you, it was not because of the man who did wrong, nor because of the man who was wronged, but in order to reveal to you your eagerness for us in the sight of God.
13 In addition to the encouragement that this gave us, we were made far happier still by the happiness of Titus for his heart has been cheered by you all.
Because of this we have been encouraged. And from your encouragement, we rejoiced to a greater degree more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
14 Although I have been boasting a little to him about you, you did not put me to shame; but, just as every thing we had said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has also proved to be the truth.
Because, if I have boasted anything to him about you, I am not ashamed, but as we spoke all things in truth to you, so also our boast to Titus became truth.
15 And his affection for you is all the greater, as he remembers the deference that you all showed him, and recalls how you received him with anxious care.
And his bowels are more abundant toward you, remembering the obedience of you all, how ye received him with fear and trembling.
16 I am glad that I can feel perfect confidence in you.
I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

< 2 Corinthians 7 >