2 Corinthians 7

1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of 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 respect for God, aim at perfect holiness.

2 Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.

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

3 I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

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

4 Great is my boldness of speech towards you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

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 even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside.

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, he who comforts the lowly, God, 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 also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still 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 grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you grieve, though just for a while.

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 I now rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved in a godly way, that you might suffer loss 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 produces repentance leading to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces 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 same thing, that you were grieved in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defence, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vindication! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the 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 So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God.

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.

13 Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been 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 in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be 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 His affection is more abundantly towards you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you 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 that in everything I am confident concerning you.

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