The Corinthians’ Repentance

Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, (A)we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for (B)I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. (C)Great is my boldness of speech toward you, (D)great is my boasting on your behalf. (E)I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

For indeed, (F)when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but (G)we were troubled on every side. (H)Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless (I)God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by (J)the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the [a]consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

For even if I made you (K)sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; (L)though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For (M)godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; (N)but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what (O)clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be (P)clear in this matter. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, (Q)but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:7 comfort

χωρησατε ημας ουδενα ηδικησαμεν ουδενα εφθειραμεν ουδενα επλεονεκτησαμεν

ου προς κατακρισιν λεγω προειρηκα γαρ οτι εν ταις καρδιαις ημων εστε εις το συναποθανειν και συζην

πολλη μοι παρρησια προς υμας πολλη μοι καυχησις υπερ υμων πεπληρωμαι τη παρακλησει υπερπερισσευομαι τη χαρα επι παση τη θλιψει ημων

και γαρ ελθοντων ημων εις μακεδονιαν ουδεμιαν εσχηκεν ανεσιν η σαρξ ημων αλλ εν παντι θλιβομενοι εξωθεν μαχαι εσωθεν φοβοι

αλλ ο παρακαλων τους ταπεινους παρεκαλεσεν ημας ο θεος εν τη παρουσια τιτου

ου μονον δε εν τη παρουσια αυτου αλλα και εν τη παρακλησει η παρεκληθη εφ υμιν αναγγελλων ημιν την υμων επιποθησιν τον υμων οδυρμον τον υμων ζηλον υπερ εμου ωστε με μαλλον χαρηναι

οτι ει και ελυπησα υμας εν τη επιστολη ου μεταμελομαι ει και μετεμελομην βλεπω γαρ οτι η επιστολη εκεινη ει και προς ωραν ελυπησεν υμας

νυν χαιρω ουχ οτι ελυπηθητε αλλ οτι ελυπηθητε εις μετανοιαν ελυπηθητε γαρ κατα θεον ινα εν μηδενι ζημιωθητε εξ ημων

10 η γαρ κατα θεον λυπη μετανοιαν εις σωτηριαν αμεταμελητον κατεργαζεται η δε του κοσμου λυπη θανατον κατεργαζεται

11 ιδου γαρ αυτο τουτο το κατα θεον λυπηθηναι υμας ποσην κατειργασατο υμιν σπουδην αλλα απολογιαν αλλα αγανακτησιν αλλα φοβον αλλα επιποθησιν αλλα ζηλον αλλ εκδικησιν εν παντι συνεστησατε εαυτους αγνους ειναι εν τω πραγματι

12 αρα ει και εγραψα υμιν ουχ εινεκεν του αδικησαντος ουδε εινεκεν του αδικηθεντος αλλ εινεκεν του φανερωθηναι την σπουδην ημων την υπερ υμων προς υμας ενωπιον του θεου

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(A)Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said (B)before that you are (C)in our hearts, to die together and to live together. My (D)confidence [a]in you is great; my (E)boasting in your behalf is great. I am filled with (F)comfort; I am overflowing with (G)joy in all our affliction.

For even when we came into (H)Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were (I)afflicted on every side: (J)conflicts on the outside, fears inside. But (K)God, who comforts the [b]discouraged, (L)comforted us by the arrival of (M)Titus; and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted among you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. For though I (N)caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything [c]through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a (O)repentance [d]without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this [e]godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what (P)longing, what zeal, what (Q)punishment of wrong! In everything you (R)demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 12 So although (S)I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of (T)the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness in our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:4 Lit toward
  2. 2 Corinthians 7:6 Or lowly
  3. 2 Corinthians 7:9 Lit from
  4. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Or leading to a salvation without regret
  5. 2 Corinthians 7:11 Lit sorrow according to God