Full Screen
FREE Mobile Apps!
Report a Typo2Corinthians ◦ Chapter 7
1My good friends, since all of these guarantees are for us, let us choose to follow God's treatment plan and detach ourselves from everything that poisons the body or damages the mind, and let us develop Christlike character out of admiration for God. 2Won't you open your hearts to us? We have harmed no one, we have misled no one, nor have we taken advantage of anyone.3I don’t say this to make you feel bad; as I have told you before, you are so special to us that whether we live or die we hold you close within our hearts.4I am confident in your healing and so proud of your participation in God's Remedy! Your continued growth brings me great happiness. Regardless of trials, my joy in you never stops. 5When we arrived in Macedonia, we were so strained that we couldn't rest well at all. We were harassed constantly, which created external conflicts and internal fears,6but God–who aids the discouraged–aided and encouraged us by sending Titus.7Seeing Titus was a great joy, but we were also greatly comforted by your thoughtfulness. He told us about your concern for me, your deep sorrow, and your longing for my good. Your concern has brought me the greatest joy. 8Even if my letter was uncomfortable to read and brought you grief, I do not regret it. I initially feared its impact, but now I see that though my letter did cause you pain, its therapeutic purpose was realized and thus the pain was only brief.9So now I am very happy! Not because you suffered discomfort, but because your discomfort occurred from the application of the truth and resulted in healing and transformation. Your pain was the godly pain of accurate diagnosis of your true condition, so our actions were therapeutic and did not harm you in any way.10Godly sorrow–which is due to disgust with the selfish state of the heart, and which brings repentance resulting in healing and wellness–leaves no regrets. But worldly sorrow is the sorrow for not getting one’s own way; it leaves one terminally ill, culminating in death.11Do you see how this godly sorrow has left you dissatisfied with the way things were? Do you see how eager you are to be healthy, how afraid you are to remain unhealed? You're longing for everything to be set right. Your passion to properly diagnose the spiritually sick and to see God's Remedy applied has demonstrated that you are not at fault in this recent problem. 12Please understand that my purpose in writing to you was not primarily for the one who did wrong or for the one injured, but that you would be stirred enough by your love and devotion to us to see the importance of using God's methods in dealing with such matters, and act as if you were always before God.13All of this has encouraged us. Not only were we encouraged by the manner in which you handled this problem, but we were especially pleased by the way you poured your love upon Titus. He is happy and refreshed because of you.14I told him how proud I am of you and that you have not disappointed me. Just as all that we told you is true, so our bragging about you to Titus has proved to be true.15Titus is so exuberant! He tells us over and over how quick you were to open yourselves to him, and how you received him with humble hearts, being willing to listen and apply what you learned.16I am so glad that I can have complete confidence in you.