2 Corinthians 7
Christian Standard Bible
7 So then, dear friends, since we have these promises,(A) let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit,(B) bringing holiness to completion[a] in the fear of God.(C)
Joy and Repentance
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, corrupted(D) no one, taken advantage of no one. 3 I don’t say this to condemn you, since I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am very frank with you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in all our afflictions.
5 In fact, when we came into Macedonia,(E) we[b] had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts(F) on the outside, fears(G) within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast,(H) comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 and not only by his arrival but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal(I) for me, so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For even if I grieved you with my letter,(J) I don’t regret it. And if I regretted it—since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a while— 9 I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.(K) 11 For consider how much diligence this very thing—this grieving as God wills—has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure(L) in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your devotion to us might be made plain to you in the sight of God. 13 For this reason we have been comforted.
In addition to our own comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titus(M) had, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you. 14 For if I have made any boast to him about you, I have not been disappointed; but as I have spoken everything to you in truth,(N) so our boasting to Titus has also turned out to be the truth. 15 And his affection toward you is even greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you, and how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you.
2 Corinthians 7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.(A)
Paul’s Joy at the Church’s Repentance
2 Make room in your hearts[a] for us; we have wronged no one; we have corrupted no one; we have taken advantage of no one.(B) 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.(C) 4 I am being completely frank with you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with consolation; I am overjoyed in all our affliction.(D)
5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—disputes without and fears within.(E) 6 But God, who consoles the downcast, consoled us by the arrival of Titus,(F) 7 and not only by his arrival but also by the consolation with which he was consoled about you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For although I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it (for[b] I see that that letter caused you grief, though only briefly), 9 now I rejoice, not because you were grieved but because your grief led to repentance, for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.(G) 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong but in order that your zeal for us might be made known to you before God.(H) 13 In this we have found consolation.
In addition to our own consolation, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his mind has been set at rest by all of you.(I) 14 For if I have been somewhat boastful about you to him, I was not put to shame, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved true as well.(J) 15 And his heart goes out all the more to you, as he remembers the obedience of all of you and how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.(K) 16 I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you.(L)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.