2Cor.7.1
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.
2Cor.7.1
With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let's make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let's make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.
2Cor.7.1
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2Cor.7.1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Cor.7.1
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God.
2Cor.7.2
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
2Cor.7.2
Trust us. We've never hurt a soul, never exploited or taken advantage of anyone.
2Cor.7.2
Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.
2Cor.7.2
Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one.
2Cor.7.2
Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone. We have not led anyone astray. We have not taken advantage of anyone.
2Cor.7.3
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
2Cor.7.3
Don't think I'm finding fault with you. I told you earlier that I'm with you all the way, no matter what.
2Cor.7.3
I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you.
2Cor.7.3
I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
2Cor.7.3
I'm not saying this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts forever. We live or die together with you.
2Cor.7.4
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.
2Cor.7.4
I have, in fact, the greatest confidence in you. If only you knew how proud I am of you! I am overwhelmed with joy despite all our troubles.
2Cor.7.4
I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
2Cor.7.4
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.
2Cor.7.4
I have the highest confidence in you, and my pride in you is great. You have greatly encouraged me; you have made me happy despite all our troubles.
2Cor.7.5
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.
2Cor.7.5
When we arrived in Macedonia province, we couldn't settle down. The fights in the church and the fears in our hearts kept us on pins and needles. We couldn't relax because we didn't know how it would turn out.
2Cor.7.5
For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within.
2Cor.7.5
For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
2Cor.7.5
When we arrived in Macedonia there was no rest for us. Outside there was conflict from every direction, and inside there was fear.
2Cor.7.6
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2Cor.7.6
Then the God who lifts up the downcast lifted our heads and our hearts with the arrival of Titus.
2Cor.7.6
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
2Cor.7.6
Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
2Cor.7.6
But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
2Cor.7.7
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.
2Cor.7.7
We were glad just to see him, but the true reassurance came in what he told us about you: how much you cared, how much you grieved, how concerned you were for me. I went from worry to tranquility in no time!
2Cor.7.7
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.
2Cor.7.7
and not only by his coming, but also by the 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.
2Cor.7.7
His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told me how much you were looking forward to my visit, and how sorry you were about what had happened, and how loyal your love is for me, I was filled with joy!
2Cor.7.8
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.
2Cor.7.8
I know I distressed you greatly with my letter. Although I felt awful at the time, I don't feel at all bad now that I see how it turned out. The letter upset you, but only for a while.
2Cor.7.8
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while--
2Cor.7.8
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.
2Cor.7.8
I am no longer sorry that I sent that letter to you, though I was sorry for a time, for I know that it was painful to you for a little while.
2Cor.7.9
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.
2Cor.7.9
Now I'm glad--not that you were upset, but that you were jarred into turning things around. You let the distress bring you to God, not drive you from him. The result was all gain, no loss.
2Cor.7.9
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.
2Cor.7.9
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.
2Cor.7.9
Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to have remorse and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.
2Cor.7.10
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2Cor.7.10
Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.
2Cor.7.10
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
2Cor.7.10
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
2Cor.7.10
For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death.
2Cor.7.11
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.
2Cor.7.11
And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You're more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you've come out of this with purity of heart.
2Cor.7.11
See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
2Cor.7.11
For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2Cor.7.11
Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish the wrongdoer. You showed that you have done everything you could to make things right.
2Cor.7.12
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.
2Cor.7.12
And that is what I was hoping for in the first place when I wrote the letter. My primary concern was not for the one who did the wrong or even the one wronged, but for you--that you would realize and act upon the deep, deep ties between us before God.
2Cor.7.12
So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.
2Cor.7.12
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, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
2Cor.7.12
My purpose was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could show how much you really do care for us.
2Cor.7.13
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.
2Cor.7.13
That's what happened--and we felt just great. And then, when we saw how Titus felt--his exuberance over your response--our joy doubled. It was wonderful to see how revived and refreshed he was by everything you did.
2Cor.7.13
By all this we are encouraged.
2Cor.7.13
Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
2Cor.7.13
We have been encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was at the way you welcomed him and set his mind at ease.
2Cor.7.14
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.
2Cor.7.14
If I went out on a limb in telling Titus how great I thought you were, you didn't cut off that limb. As it turned out, I hadn't exaggerated one bit. Titus saw for himself that everything I had said about you was true.
2Cor.7.14
In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
2Cor.7.14
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.
2Cor.7.14
I had told him how proud I was of you--and you didn't disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true!
2Cor.7.15
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.
2Cor.7.15
He can't quit talking about it, going over again and again the story of your prompt obedience, and the dignity and sensitivity of your hospitality. He was quite overwhelmed by it all!
2Cor.7.15
And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling.
2Cor.7.15
And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.
2Cor.7.15
Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way you listened to him and welcomed him with such respect and deep concern.
2Cor.7.16
I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
2Cor.7.16
And I couldn't be more pleased--I'm so confident and proud of you.
2Cor.7.16
I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.
2Cor.7.16
Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
2Cor.7.16
I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.
