2 Corinthians 7

1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

With these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that pollutes either body or spirit, and, in deepest reverence for God, aim at perfect holiness.

2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

Make room for us in your hearts. In no instance have we ever wronged, or harmed, or taken advantage of, any one.

3 I speak not [this] to condemn [you]: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with [you].

I am not saying this to condemn you. Indeed, I have already said that you are in our very heart, to live and die together.

4 Great [is] my boldness of speech towards you, great [is] my glorying concerning you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

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.

5 For, when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without [were] fightings, within [were] fears.

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.

6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

But God, who encourages the downcast, has encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind towards me; so that I rejoiced the more.

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.

8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though [it was] but for a season.

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 —

9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

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.

10 For godly sorrow worketh penitence to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

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.

11 For behold this very thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, [what] clearing of yourselves, yea, [what] indignation, yea, [what] fear, yea, [what] vehement desire, yea, [what] zeal, yea, [what] avenging! In all [things] ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

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.

12 Wherefore, though I wrote to you, [I did it] not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

So, then, even though I did write to you, it was not for the sake of the wrong-doer, 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.

13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: and exceedingly the more we rejoiced for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

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.

14 For if I have boasted any thing to him concerning you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which [I made] before Titus, is found a truth.

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.

15 And his tender affection is more abundant towards you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

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.

16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all [things].

I am glad that I can feel perfect confidence in you.