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Self-Purification

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves[a] from everything that could defile the body[b] and the spirit, and thus accomplish[c] holiness out of reverence for God.[d] Make room for us in your hearts;[e] we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one,[f] we have exploited no one.[g] I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before[h] that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you.[i]

A Letter That Caused Sadness

I have great confidence in you; I take great pride[j] on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement;[k] I am overflowing with joy in the midst of[l] all our suffering. For even when we came into Macedonia, our body[m] had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way—struggles from the outside, fears from within. But God, who encourages[n] the downhearted, encouraged[o] us by the arrival of Titus. We were encouraged[p] not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement[q] you gave[r] him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning,[s] your deep concern[t] for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever. For even if I made you sad[u] by my letter,[v] I do not regret having written it[w] (even though I did regret it,[x] for[y] I see that my letter made you sad,[z] though only for a short time). Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad,[aa] but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended,[ab] so that you were not harmed[ac] in any way by us. 10 For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. 11 For see what this very thing, this sadness[ad] as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves,[ae] what indignation,[af] what alarm, what longing, what deep concern,[ag] what punishment![ah] In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf[ai] before God. 13 Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit.[aj] 14 For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you,[ak] but just as everything we said to you was true,[al] so our boasting to Titus about you[am] has proved true as well. 15 And his affection for you is much greater[an] when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Or “purify ourselves.”
  2. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.
  4. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Grk “in the fear of God.”
  5. 2 Corinthians 7:2 tn The phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
  6. 2 Corinthians 7:2 tn “We have ruined no one” may refer to financial loss (“we have caused no one to suffer financial loss”) but it may also refer to the undermining of faith (“we have corrupted no one’s faith,”). Both options are mentioned in L&N 20.23.
  7. 2 Corinthians 7:2 tn Or “we have taken advantage of no one.”
  8. 2 Corinthians 7:3 sn See 2 Cor 1:4-7.
  9. 2 Corinthians 7:3 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  10. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Grk “great is my boasting.”
  11. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Or “comfort.”
  12. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.
  13. 2 Corinthians 7:5 tn Grk “our flesh.”
  14. 2 Corinthians 7:6 tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”
  15. 2 Corinthians 7:6 tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”
  16. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”
  17. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”
  18. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.
  19. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”
  20. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “your zeal.”
  21. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “if I grieved you.”
  22. 2 Corinthians 7:8 sn My letter. Paul is referring to the “severe” letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4.
  23. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “I do not regret”; direct objects in Greek must often be supplied from the context. Here one could simply supply “it,” but since Paul is referring to the effects of his previous letter, clarity is improved if “having written it” is supplied.
  24. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “I did regret”; the direct object “it” must be supplied from the context.
  25. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tc A few significant mss (P46c B D* it sa) lack γάρ (gar, “for”), while the majority of witnesses have it (א C D1 F G Ψ 0243 33 1739 1881 M sy bo). Even though P46* omits γάρ, it has the same sense (viz., a subordinate clause) because it reads the participle βλέπων (blepōn, “seeing”; the Vulgate does the same). A decision is difficult because although the overwhelming external evidence is on the side of the conjunction, the lack of γάρ is a significantly harder reading, for the whole clause is something of an anacoluthon. Without the conjunction, the sentence reads more harshly. This would fit with Paul’s “vehemence of spirit” (A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 435) that is found especially in 2 Corinthians and Galatians. However, the mss that omit the conjunction are prone to such tendencies at times. In this instance, the conjunction should probably stand.
  26. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “my letter grieved you.”
  27. 2 Corinthians 7:9 tn Grk “were grieved” (so also twice later in the verse).
  28. 2 Corinthians 7:9 tn Grk “corresponding to God,” that is, corresponding to God’s will (κατὰ θεόν, kata theon). The same phrase occurs in vv. 10 and 11.
  29. 2 Corinthians 7:9 tn Grk “so that you did not suffer loss.”
  30. 2 Corinthians 7:11 tn Grk “this very thing, to be grieved.”
  31. 2 Corinthians 7:11 tn The words “of yourselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
  32. 2 Corinthians 7:11 sn What indignation refers to the Corinthians’ indignation at the offender.
  33. 2 Corinthians 7:11 tn Or “what zeal.”
  34. 2 Corinthians 7:11 sn That is, punishment for the offender.
  35. 2 Corinthians 7:12 tn Grk “but in order that your eagerness on our behalf might be revealed to you.”
  36. 2 Corinthians 7:13 tn Or “all of you have put his mind at ease.”
  37. 2 Corinthians 7:14 tn Grk “I have not been put to shame”; the words “by you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
  38. 2 Corinthians 7:14 tn Grk “just as we spoke everything to you in truth.”
  39. 2 Corinthians 7:14 tn The words “about you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
  40. 2 Corinthians 7:15 tn Or “is all the more.”

Therefore, most dear-worthy brethren, we that have these promises, cleanse we us from all filth of the flesh and of the spirit, doing holiness in the dread of God.[a]

Take ye us; we have hurt no man, we have impaired no man [we have corrupted no man], we have beguiled no man.

I say not to your condemning; for I said before, that ye be in our hearts, to die together and to live together [to die together, and live together].

Much trust is to me with you, much glorying is to me for you. I am filled with comfort, I am plenteous [I abound, or am plenteous,] in joy in all our tribulation.

For when we were come to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we suffered all tribulation; withoutforth fightings, and dreads [were] within [forsooth withoutforth, fightings, withinforth, dreads].

But God that comforteth meek men, comforted us in the coming of Titus.

And not only in the coming of him, but also in the comfort by which he was comforted in you, telling to us your desire, your weeping, your love for me, so that I joyed more.

For though I made you sorry in an epistle, it rueth me not; though it rued, [I] seeing that though that epistle made you sorry at an hour,

now I have joy; not for ye were made sorrowful [not for ye were made sorry], but for ye were made sorrowful to penance. For why ye be made sorry after God, that in nothing ye suffer impairment of us.

10 For the sorrow that is after God, worketh penance into steadfast health; but sorrow of the world worketh death.

11 For lo! this same thing, that ye be sorrowful after God, how much busyness it worketh in you; but defending, but indignation, but dread, but desire, but love, but vengeance. In all things ye have given yourselves to be undefouled in the cause.

12 Therefore though I wrote to you, I wrote not for him that did the injury, neither for him that suffered, but to show our busyness, which we have for you before God.

13 Therefore we be comforted, but in your comfort more plenteously we joyed more on the joy of Titus, for his spirit is fulfilled of all you.

14 And if I gloried any thing with him of you, I am not confounded [I am not confounded, or shamed]; but as we have spoken to you all things [in truth], so also our glory that was at Titus, is made truth.

15 And the inwardness of him be more plenteously in you [And the entrails of him be more plenteous in you], which hath in mind the obedience of you all, how with dread and trembling ye received him.

16 I have joy, that in all things I trust in you. [I joy, that in all things I trust in you.]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, most dear-worthy, we having these promises, cleanse we us from all filth of flesh and spirit, perfectly making hallowing in the dread of God.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.