Shared Word Translation
2 Corinthians 7
Cleansing and Mutual Belonging
Therefore, since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
Make room for us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
I have great boldness toward you; I have great boasting on your behalf; I am filled with comfort; in all our affliction I overflow with joy.
Comfort Through Titus
For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the lowly, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.
Godly Grief and Repentance
For even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it—for I see that the letter caused you sorrow, though only for a time. Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repentance; for you experienced a grief according to God, so that you suffered no loss through us.
For grief according to God produces a repentance leading to salvation without regret, but the grief of the world produces death. For see what earnestness this very grief according to God has produced in you—what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to see justice done. In every way you have proved yourselves to be pure in this matter.
So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but so that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.
Therefore we are comforted. And in addition to our comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. For whatever I boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true.
And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of all of you, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice, because in everything I have confidence in you.