1 Having therefore these promises,
beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all
defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
2 Open your hearts to us. We wronged
no one. We corrupted no one. We took
advantage of no one.
3 I say this not to condemn you, for I have
said before that you are in our hearts to die
together and live together.
4 Great is my boldness of speech towards
you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I
am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy
in all our affliction.
5 For even when we had come into Macedonia,
our flesh had no relief, but we were
afflicted on every side. Fightings were
outside. Fear was inside.
6 Nevertheless, he who comforts the
lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of
Titus,
7 and not by his coming only, but also by
the comfort with which he was comforted
in you while he told us of your longing,
your mourning, and your zeal for me, so
that I rejoiced still more.
8 For though I grieved you with my letter,
I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I
see that my letter made you grieve, though
just for a while.
9 I now rejoice, not that you were
grieved, but that you were grieved to
repentance. For you were grieved in a
godly way, that you might suffer loss by
us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance
leading to salvation, which brings
no regret. But the sorrow of the world
produces death.
11 For behold, this same thing, that you
were grieved in a godly way, what earnest
care it worked in you. Yes, what defence,
indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vindication!
In everything you demonstrated
yourselves to be pure in the matter.
12 So although I wrote to you, I wrote not
for his cause that did the wrong, nor for
his cause that suffered the wrong, but that
your earnest care for us might be revealed
in you in the sight of God.
13 Therefore we have been comforted. In
our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly
for the joy of Titus, because his spirit
has been refreshed by you all.
14 For if in anything I have boasted to him
on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But
as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our
glorying also which I made before Titus
was found to be truth.
15 His affection is more abundantly towards
you, while he remembers all of your
obedience, how with fear and trembling
you received him.
16 I rejoice that in everything I am confident
concerning you.
