The Corinthians’ Repentance

7 Therefore,^(A) having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Corinthians’ Repentance

² Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, ^(B)we have cheated no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn; for ^(C)I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. ^4 (D)Great is my boldness of speech toward you, ^(E)great is my boasting on your behalf. ^(F)I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ For indeed, ^(G)when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but ^(H)we were troubled on every side. ^(I)Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless ^(J)God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by ^(K)the coming of Titus, ⁷ 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.

⁸ For even if I made you ^(L)sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; ^(M)though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. ⁹ 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 ^(N)godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; ^(O)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 ^(P)clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be ^(Q)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, ^(R)but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

The Joy of Titus

¹³ Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit ^(S)has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. ¹⁵ And his affections are greater for you as he remembers ^(T)the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. ¹⁶ Therefore I rejoice that ^(U)I have confidence in you in everything.

Excel in Giving

8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: ² that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and ^(V)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. ³ For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, ⁴ imploring us with much urgency ^[b]that we would receive the gift and ^(W)the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. ⁵ And not only as we had hoped, but they first ^(X)gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the ^(Y)will of God. ⁶ So ^(Z)we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. ⁷ But as ^(AA)you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see ^(AB)that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

^8 (AC)I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(AD)that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become ^(AE)rich.

¹⁰ And in this ^(AF)I give advice: ^(AG)It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and ^(AH)were desiring to do a year ago; ¹¹ but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. ¹² For ^(AI)if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

¹³ For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; ¹⁴ but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written, ^(AJ)“He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

Collection for the Judean Saints

¹⁶ But thanks be to God who ^[c]puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ And we have sent with him ^(AK)the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, ¹⁹ and not only that, but who was also ^(AL)chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us ^(AM)to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, ²⁰ avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— ^21 (AN)providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²² And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. ²³ If anyone inquires about ^(AO)Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are ^(AP)messengers^[d] of the churches, the glory of Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show to them, ^[e]and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our ^(AQ)boasting on your behalf.

¹⁰ for ^(A)Demas has forsaken me, ^(B)having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

Greeting

1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and ^(A)the acknowledgment of the truth ^(B)which accords with godliness, ² in hope of eternal life which God, who ^(C)cannot lie, promised before time began, ³ but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

⁴ To ^(D)Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and ^[a]the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Qualified Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should ^(E)set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— ⁶ if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, ^(F)having faithful children not accused of ^[b]dissipation or insubordination. ⁷ For a ^[c]bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, ^(G)not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

The Elders’ Task

¹⁰ For there are many insubordinate, both idle ^(H)talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, ^(I)for the sake of dishonest gain. ^12 (J)One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. ^(K)Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not giving heed to Jewish fables and ^(L)commandments of men who turn from the truth. ^15 (M)To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to ^(N)know God, but ^(O)in works they deny Him, being ^[d]abominable, disobedient, ^(P)and disqualified for every good work.

Qualities of a Sound Church

2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ² that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³ the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, ^(Q)homemakers, good, ^(R)obedient to their own husbands, ^(S)that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

⁶ Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷ in all things showing yourself to be ^(T)a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, ^(U)incorruptibility,^{[e] 8} sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of ^[f]you.

⁹ Exhort ^(V)bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, ¹⁰ not ^[g]pilfering, but showing all good ^[h]fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Trained by Saving Grace

¹¹ For ^(W)the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ^13 (X)looking for the blessed ^(Y)hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ^14 (Z)who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed ^(AA)and purify for Himself ^(AB)His own special people, zealous for good works.

¹⁵ Speak these things, ^(AC)exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them ^(AD)to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, ^(AE)to be ready for every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ³ For ^(AF)we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴ But when ^(AG)the kindness and the love of ^(AH)God our Savior toward man appeared, ^5 (AI)not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through ^(AJ)the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ^6 (AK)whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace ^(AL)we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

^8 (AM)This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

⁹ But ^(AN)avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. ^10 (AO)Reject a divisive man after the first and second ^[i]admonition, ¹¹ knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Final Messages

¹² When I send Artemas to you, or ^(AP)Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³ Send Zenas the lawyer and ^(AQ)Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. ¹⁴ And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Farewell

¹⁵ All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all. Amen.