2 Corinthians 7

1 My friends, whom I love, because [God] has promised [to accept us(inc) as his children], we [(inc)] must stop doing anything that is sinful. We must not do sinful things with our bodies, and we must not [think] sinful thoughts. [Because] we greatly revere God, we must strive to [live] a completely pure life. By doing that we will become the kind of people that he wants us to be.

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

2 So, as I just wrote, I want you to love me (OR, us [IDM] [who are true apostles of Christ]). I/we [(exc)] have never done anything wrong to any of you. I/we have not done anything to harm any one of you spiritually or financially. And I/we have not tried to get money from [you] (for myself/for ourselves).

Receive us: we have injured no one, we have corrupted no one, we have defrauded no one.

3 [It is true that some people among you have said that I have done such things. Nevertheless], I am not trying to make you all feel ashamed because, as I wrote before, I will continue to love you all very much [IDM], whether I live with you or die with you. I am very confident about you.

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

4 I am very pleased with you. You have greatly encouraged me, so that I am now very joyful in spite of all the hardships that I have endured.

My boldness to you is great, my rejoicing over you is much: I have been filled with consolation, I superabound with joy in all our tribulation.

5 Now [I will write more about what I was saying about Titus]. When I [left Troas and] came [here to] Macedonia [province], I still did not get any rest. Everywhere we [(exc)] went, [people were constantly] causing us trouble. [And not only were] people [constantly causing us] trouble, but I was greatly concerned [about you all].

For we having come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but in everything being troubled; fightings without, fears within.

6 But God, who always encourages his people when they are discouraged, encouraged us by [sending] Titus back to us.

But God, the one comforting the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

7 I was encouraged by [seeing] Titus, [but when I heard how] you had encouraged him, that encouraged me even more. He told me how much you wanted [to see me. He told me] that you were very sorry [that you had made me so unhappy. He also told me] that you are very eager for me [to continue to serve as your apostle. When Titus told me those things], I was very, very happy.

and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted by you, proclaiming unto us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more.

8 Even though what [I wrote] in my letter (distressed you/made you sad), I am not sorry [that I wrote it]. For a while I was sorry that I had written it, [because I knew that it would distress you]. Now [Titus has also told] me that it did distress you [when you read it], but you were distressed only for a short time.

But if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret it, if indeed I did regret it; for I see that, if that letter indeed grieved you for an hour,

9 [So now] I am happy [that I wrote it]. I am not happy that you were distressed {that [I] distressed you}, but [I am happy] because, when you became distressed, you felt sorry for what you had done and [you asked God to forgive you. What I mean is that you felt sorry in the way that God wanted you to feel sorry, so my making] you feel sorry did not harm you at all.

now I rejoice, not because you grieved, but because you grieved unto repentance: for you grieved toward God, in order that you may receive damage by us in nothing.

10 [The fact is that] when God causes [us to feel] truly sorry for having sinned and we turn from our sinful behavior, then God saves us [and will not punish us for the sinful things that we have done]. And no one is ever sorry about that. [However], the people who do not trust [in God] [MTY] may be sorry [for the sinful things that they have done]. But [if they do not turn from their sinful behavior and ask God to forgive them], they will remain separated from him forever.

For a godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works out death.

11 But [think about what happened when you read my letter]: God caused you to be truly sorry [for what you had done]. You eagerly [wanted to do what was right], and you wanted to show [God] (OR, [me]) that you had done the right thing. You were angry [about what had happened], and you were worried [that God would punish you if the situation continued]. You also wanted me [to visit you to encourage and help you]. You wanted me to know [that you really do accept me as your apostle, and that you punished the man who had sinned, as I told you to do. By doing] all of those things, you have shown [me] that you have done what is right in this matter.

For behold, how great enthusiasm, yes, how great apology, yes, how great clearing up, yes, how great fear, yes, how great longing, yes, how great zeal, yes, how great avenging, this same godly sorrow did work in you! In everything you have established yourselves to be pure in the matter.

12 So, even though I wrote that [severe] letter to you, I did not [write it just] so that [you would punish] the man who had done what was wrong. Also, I [did not write it] for the benefit of the person whom [he] had wronged. Instead, [I wrote it] so that, when you [read the letter], God would enable you to realize how much you really do respect [my authority].

Since then indeed I wrote to you, not on account of the one having done the wrong, nor on account of the one having suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal, which is in our behalf to you before God, might be made manifest.

13 So, [because you listened to me and did what I asked you to do], (I was/we [(exc)] were all) encouraged. Not only (was I/were we) encouraged, but (I was/we [(exc)] were) [also] very happy to see how happy Titus was [when he arrived here. He told me/us that] he did not need to worry any more, because [he saw] that you all [had a good attitude toward me].

Therefore we have been comforted. But we rejoiced the more exceedingly in our consolation over the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all:

14 I had told Titus that I was pleased about you. And I did not need to be ashamed [for feeling that way about you, because you did what I knew that you would do]. Just like everything that I have taught you [and written to you] has been the truth, the good things that I told Titus about you were also true.

because if I have gloried with him in anything over you, I wag not made ashamed; but as I spoke all things to you in truth, so our rejoicing over Titus was true.

15 Now he happily remembers how you all [were willing to] do [what I asked you to do]. He is [also happy about the way you] treated him with great respect. [When he thinks about those things], [it makes] him love you even more [than he did when he was with you].

And the affections of him, remembering the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling, are the more abundantly towards you.

16 [As for me], I am very happy [because now] I am certain that I can depend on you [to do what you know God wants you to do].

I rejoice because in everything I have confidence in you.