1 Lest by overmuch urging them he should dismay their tender minds, 2 he proveth that all that he said, 4 proceeded of the great good will he bare unto them: 8 and therefore they should not be offended, that he made them sorry, 10 and brought them to repentance not to be repented of.

Seeing then we have these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the [a]flesh and spirit, and finish our sanctification in the fear of God.

[b][c]Receive us: we have done wrong to no man: we have corrupted no man: we have defrauded no man.

I speak it not to your [d]condemnation: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts, to die and live together.

I use great boldness of speech toward you: I rejoice greatly in you: I am filled with comfort, and am exceeding joyous in all our tribulation.

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

But God, that comforteth the [e]abject, comforted us at the [f]coming of Titus:

And not by his coming only, but also by the consolation wherewith he was comforted of you, when he told us your great desire, your mourning, your fervent mind to me-ward, so that I rejoiced much more.

[g]For though I made you sorry with a letter, I repent not, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same Epistle made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

I now rejoice, not that ye were sorry, but that ye sorrowed to [h]repentance: for ye sorrowed godly, so that in nothing ye were hurt by us.

10 For [i]godly sorrow causeth repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of: but the worldly sorrow causeth death.

11 For behold, this thing that ye have been godly sorry, what great care hath it wrought in you: yea, what clearing of yourselves: yea, what indignation: yea, what fear: yea, how great desire: yea, what a zeal: yea, what revenge: in all things ye have showed yourselves, that ye are pure in this matter.

12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did not it for his cause that had done the wrong, neither for his cause that had the injury, but that our care toward you in the [j]sight of God might appear unto you.

13 Therefore we were comforted, because ye were comforted: but rather we rejoiced much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

14 For if that I have boasted anything to him of you, I have not been ashamed: but as I have spoken unto you all things in truth, even so our boasting unto Titus was true.

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

16 I rejoice therefore that I may put my confidence in you in all things.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Both of body and soul, that by this means the sanctification may be perfect, consisting in both the parts thereof.
  2. 2 Corinthians 7:2 He returneth again from that admonition to his own person, opposing the testimonies both of his faithfulness and also of his continual good will towards them.
  3. 2 Corinthians 7:2 Let me have some place amongst you, that I may teach you.
  4. 2 Corinthians 7:3 To condemn you of unkindness or treachery.
  5. 2 Corinthians 7:6 Whose hearts are cast down, and are very far spent.
  6. 2 Corinthians 7:6 With those things which Titus told me of you at his coming, to wit, how fruitfully you read over my letters, moreover and besides that, I am exceedingly refreshed with his presence.
  7. 2 Corinthians 7:8 An objection: But thou hast handled us roughly. The Apostle answereth that he used not this toughness without grief. And he addeth moreover, that he is also glad now that he drove them to that sorrow, although it was against his will, since it was so profitable unto them: for there is a sorrow not only praiseworthy, but also necessary, to wit, whereby repentance groweth by certain degrees, for the which repentance he praiseth them highly. And this is the fifth part of this Epistle.
  8. 2 Corinthians 7:9 Insomuch that that sorrow did you much good toward the amending of your lewdness and sins.
  9. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow is when we are not terrified with the fear of punishment, but because we feel we have offended God our most merciful Father: contrary to this, there is another sorrow, that only feareth punishment, or when a man is vexed for the loss of some worldly goods: the fruit of the first, repentance, and the fruit of the second, is desperation, unless the Lord helps speedily.
  10. 2 Corinthians 7:12 It was not colored nor counterfeit, but such as I dare stand to before God.

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