7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
7:2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.
7:3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you.
7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
7:5 For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn–conflicts on the outside, fears within.
7:6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
7:7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
7:8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it–I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while–
7:9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
7:11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
7:12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.
7:13 By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
7:14 I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
7:15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling.
7:16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.
7:1 Therefore since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and of spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
7:2 Make room for us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.
7:3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts for our dying together and our living together.
7:4 Great is my boldness toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf; I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.
7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in everything; without were fightings, within were fears.
7:6 But He who comforts those who are downcast, that is, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7:7 And not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted because of you, declaring to us your longing, your lamentation, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced the more.
7:8 For though I caused you sorrow by the letter, I do not regret it. Even if I did regret it (for I see that that letter, even if for an hour, caused you sorrow),
7:9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to God, that in nothing you might suffer loss from us.
7:10 For sorrow according to God works repentance unto salvation, which is without regret; but the sorrow of the world works out death.
7:11 For behold this very thing, your being made sorrowful according to God, what earnestness it has worked out in you, indeed what defense, indeed what indignation, indeed what fear, indeed what longing, indeed what zeal, indeed what punishment! In everything you have commended yourselves to be pure in the matter.
7:12 So then, though I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of him who did the wrong, nor for the sake of him who was wronged, but for the sake of manifesting to you before God your earnestness for us.
7:13 Because of this we have been comforted. And in addition to our comfort, we rejoiced more abundantly over the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
7:14 For if in anything I boasted to him on your behalf, I have not been put to shame; on the contrary, as we spoke all things in truth to you, so also our boasting before Titus turned out to be the truth.
7:15 And his affections are abundantly toward you, he remembering the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
7:16 I rejoice that in everything I have boldness because of you.