2 Corinthians 7
World English Bible
WEB1Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one. 3I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together. 4Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction. 5For 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. 6Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and 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. 8For 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. 9I 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. 10For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death. 11For behold, this same thing, that you were grieved in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vindication! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. 12So 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. 13Therefore 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. 14For 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. 15His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16I rejoice that in everything I am confident concerning you.
World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org
Overview
2 Corinthians Chapter 7 is a profound reflection on the themes of repentance, comfort, and reconciliation. The chapter begins with the Apostle Paul urging the Corinthians to cleanse themselves from every defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (#2Corinthians7:1). This call to holiness emphasizes the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God, as they respond to the previous letter that addressed their sinful behaviors. Paul expresses his deep desire for the Corinthians to embrace this call, highlighting the transformative power of godly sorrow that leads to repentance (#2Corinthians7:10). This sorrow is contrasted with worldly sorrow, which brings death, while godly sorrow produces a change of heart and a desire to make amends with God and one another.
In the latter part of the chapter, Paul shares his joy upon receiving news of the Corinthians' response to his previous letter. He rejoices that they have repented and turned back to God, which has brought him great comfort (#2Corinthians7:6-7). Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians is restored, and he expresses his confidence in them, noting that their earnestness and zeal have been rekindled. This chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing sin within the church and the joy that comes from reconciliation and restoration in Christ. Ultimately, it illustrates how God uses our struggles and failures to draw us closer to Him and to one another, reinforcing the message of hope and renewal found in the gospel.
Topics in this chapter
- Repentance
- Godly Sorrow
- Comfort
- Encouragement
- Salvation
- Community
- Joy
- Paul
- Transformation
- Apostle
- Confidence
- Purity
- Reconciliation
- Zeal
- Affliction
- Beatitudes
- Christian Art
- Christian Community
- Christian Literature
- Christian Music
- Communication
- Corinth
- Diligence
- Discipline
- Divine Comfort
- Early Church
- Earnestness
- Faith
- Fellowship
- God's Compassion
- God's Presence
- Holiness
- Holy Spirit
- Hope in Christ
- Lent
- Macedonia
- Messengers in the Bible
- Ministry
- Obedience
- Pauline Epistles
- Pauline Missions
- Positive Impact of Faith
- Prayer
- Sanctification
- Spiritual Growth
- Titus
- Worship
Related chapters
- 2 Corinthians 1AfflictionCorinthMinistry
- 1 Thessalonians 5MacedoniaFellowshipEarly Church
- 2 Corinthians 2AfflictionPauline EpistlesCorinth
- Colossians 4Christian CommunityPauline EpistlesMessengers in the Bible
- Acts 2Christian CommunityDisciplineFellowship
- 1 Thessalonians 4Christian CommunityMacedoniaDiligence
- 2 Corinthians 6Pauline EpistlesCorinthMinistry
- 2 Corinthians 8TitusMacedoniaCorinth
- 1 Corinthians 16MacedoniaPauline EpistlesCorinth
- 1 Thessalonians 3Messengers in the BibleMinistryComfort
- Philippians 1MacedoniaPauline EpistlesConfidence
- Acts 20MacedoniaDiligenceMinistry
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