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Ayant donc de telles promesses, bien-aimés, purifions-nous de toute souillure de la chair et de l'esprit, en achevant notre sanctification dans la crainte de Dieu.

Donnez-nous une place dans vos coeurs! Nous n'avons fait tort à personne, nous n'avons ruiné personne, nous n'avons tiré du profit de personne.

Ce n'est pas pour vous condamner que je parle de la sorte; car j'ai déjà dit que vous êtes dans nos coeurs à la vie et à la mort.

J'ai une grande confiance en vous, j'ai tout sujet de me glorifier de vous; je suis rempli de consolation, je suis comblé de joie au milieu de toutes nos tribulations.

Car, depuis notre arrivée en Macédoine, notre chair n'eut aucun repos; nous étions affligés de toute manière: luttes au dehors, craintes au dedans.

Mais Dieu, qui console ceux qui sont abattus, nous a consolés par l'arrivée de Tite,

et non seulement par son arrivée, mais encore par la consolation que Tite lui-même ressentait à votre sujet: il nous a raconté votre ardent désir, vos larmes, votre zèle pour moi, en sorte que ma joie a été d'autant plus grande.

Quoique je vous aie attristés par ma lettre, je ne m'en repens pas. Et, si je m'en suis repenti, -car je vois que cette lettre vous a attristés, bien que momentanément, -

je me réjouis à cette heure, non pas de ce que vous avez été attristés, mais de ce que votre tristesse vous a portés à la repentance; car vous avez été attristés selon Dieu, afin de ne recevoir de notre part aucun dommage.

10 En effet, la tristesse selon Dieu produit une repentance à salut dont on ne se repent jamais, tandis que la tristesse du monde produit la mort.

11 Et voici, cette même tristesse selon Dieu, quel empressement n'a-t-elle pas produit en vous! Quelle justification, quelle indignation, quelle crainte, quel désir ardent, quel zèle, quelle punition! Vous avez montré à tous égards que vous étiez purs dans cette affaire.

12 Si donc je vous ai écrit, ce n'était ni à cause de celui qui a fait l'injure, ni à cause de celui qui l'a reçue; c'était afin que votre empressement pour nous fût manifesté parmi vous devant Dieu.

13 C'est pourquoi nous avons été consolés. Mais, outre notre consolation, nous avons été réjouis beaucoup plus encore par la joie de Tite, dont l'esprit a été tranquillisé par vous tous.

14 Et si devant lui je me suis un peu glorifié à votre sujet, je n'en ai point eu de confusion; mais, comme nous vous avons toujours parlé selon la vérité, ce dont nous nous sommes glorifiés auprès de Tite s'est trouvé être aussi la vérité.

15 Il éprouve pour vous un redoublement d'affection, au souvenir de votre obéissance à tous, et de l'accueil que vous lui avez fait avec crainte et tremblement.

16 Je me réjouis de pouvoir en toutes choses me confier en vous.

Paul loves the believers at Corinth

So, my friends, God has promised these things to us. So we must keep ourselves clean from everything that makes our bodies or our spirits unclean. We must respect and obey God. Then we will become more and more like him.

Be friends with us. We have done nothing wrong to any of you. We have not hurt anyone. We have not cheated anyone. I am not saying this to make you feel ashamed. As I have told you before, you are our special friends. We will continue to love you, whether we live together or we die together.

I know you and I trust you. I am proud of you. You have helped me to be strong. So, even when we have many troubles, I am still very happy.

When we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies did not rest at all.[a] We had many kinds of trouble. All round us, people quarrelled with us. Inside us, we were afraid. But when people feel upset, God helps them to be strong. And God made us happy when Titus arrived. God comforted us not only because Titus came to us. He comforted us also by what Titus told us about you. He said that you had helped him to be strong. He told us that you want to see me. He told us that you are very sad about what happened. He told us also that you are ready to help me. Because of what Titus told us about you, I was very happy.

But even if I made you sad by my letter, I am not sorry about that. At one time, I was sorry that I had written it. I saw that my letter had made you sad. But you were sad only for a short time. So now I am happy, but not because my letter made you sad. No, I am happy because it made you turn away from wrong things. You became sad as God wanted you to be sad. So, when the letter made you sad, we did not really hurt you. 10 People need to become sad in the way that God wants. When they are sad like that, it causes them to turn away from wrong things. Then God saves them from their sins. They will never be sorry about that! But when people become sad in the way that the world wants, it does not help them. They do not turn to God and they die in their spirits.

11 You became sad in the way that God wanted. And see what good results that has brought! It has made you work hard to do good things. You want to show people that you do what is right. You are angry against sin. You want to obey God. You want to make things right again. You want to please God. You want to punish anyone who does wrong things. In all these ways, you have shown that you are right. You have done everything that was necessary in this matter.

12 So why did I write that letter to you? It was not because of the person who did the wrong thing. Nor was it to help the person that he hurt. No. I wrote the letter to show you something about yourselves. I wanted God to show you that you do really love us and you respect us. 13 That is how God has comforted us.

It was not only us that God comforted. When Titus came, we were very happy to see how happy he was too. He was happy because all of you had taken care of him. 14 I had told Titus that I was very proud of you. When he came to you, you showed that I was right about you. We have always spoken only true things to you. And when we said good things about you to Titus, you showed that those things were also true. 15 Now, when Titus thinks about you, he loves you even more. He remembers that you were ready to obey him. You respected his authority and you received him into your homes.

16 So now I am very happy because I trust you to do what is right.

Footnotes

  1. 7:5 Macedonia was north from the country that we call Greece today.

The Corinthians’ Repentance

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

Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, (B)we have cheated no one. 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. (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.

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. Nevertheless (J)God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by (K)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 (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. 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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:7 comfort

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.

Therefore, since we have these promises,(A) dear friends,(B) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness(C) out of reverence for God.

Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance

Make room for us in your hearts.(D) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts(E) that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you.(F) I am greatly encouraged;(G) in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.(H)

For when we came into Macedonia,(I) we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn(J)—conflicts on the outside, fears within.(K) But God, who comforts the downcast,(L) comforted us by the coming of Titus,(M) and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter,(N) I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation(O) and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern,(P) what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you,(Q) it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong(R) nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13 By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus(S) was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you,(T) and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus(U) has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient,(V) receiving him with fear and trembling.(W) 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.(X)