2 Corinthians · Chapter 7
2 Corinthians 7
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain · Source credits
Paul’s Joy in the Corinthians
1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.
3I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you.
4Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.
5For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
7and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.
8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time.
9And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us.
10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
11Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
12So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.
13On account of this, we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
14Indeed, I was not embarrassed by anything I had boasted to him about you. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved to be true as well.
15And his affection for you is even greater when he remembers that you were all obedient as you welcomed him with fear and trembling.
16I rejoice that I can have complete confidence in you.
Old Testament references
References from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Text from the Berean Standard Bible.
Psalms 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalms 119:9How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.
Proverbs 20:9Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Proverbs 30:12There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
Isaiah 1:16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
Jeremiah 13:27Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields— I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?”
Ezekiel 18:30Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
Ezekiel 18:31Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel 18:32For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
Ezekiel 36:25I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
Ezekiel 36:26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.