2 Corinthians 7

1 Therefore [in light of this], beloved [dearly loved], since we have these promises [assurances from God], let us cleanse [purify, make holy] ourselves from everything [all filthiness] that defiles [pollutes, corrupts] body [flesh, physical nature] and spirit [breath, vital principle], perfecting [completing, maturing] holiness [set apart for God, sanctification] in the fear [reverence, awe] of God [the one true deity]. word study 2 Make room for us [open your hearts to us, receive us] in your hearts. We have wronged [done harm to, acted unjustly towards] no one, we have corrupted [destroyed, ruined morally] no one, we have exploited [taken advantage of, defrauded] no one. word study 3 I do not say [to judge or find fault] this to condemn [bring judgment or sentence] you. I have said before [previously, as a prediction] that you so occupy [fill and possess] our hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] that we live [coexist and survive] and die [be killed or meet our end] together [in unity and fellowship] with you. word study 4 Great is my confidence [boldness of speech, freedom to express] in you; great is my pride [glorying, boasting] in you; I am filled [completely satisfied] with encouragement [comfort, solace]; in all [every, each] our troubles [tribulation, affliction] my joy [deep and lasting happiness] overflows [abounds, exceeds]. word study 5 For when we arrived [came into, entered] in Macedonia, our bodies [flesh, physical selves] had no rest [relief, relaxation], but we were pressed [afflicted, troubled] from every direction—conflicts [fightings, quarrels] on the outside [externally], fears [alarms, terrors] within [inwardly, from inside]. word study 6 But God [the supreme Comforter, who gives hope], who comforts [to plead with, encourage] the downcast [lowly, humble, those who are cast down], comforted us by the arrival [coming, presence] of Titus [a faithful disciple, companion of Paul], word study 7 and not only [exclusively] by his arrival [coming, presence], but also by the comfort [consolation, encouragement] he had received from you. He told us about your longing [earnest desire, deep emotional connection], your mourning [sorrow, lamentation], and your zeal [enthusiasm, dedication] for me, so that I rejoiced [felt happy and glad] all the more [to a greater degree]. word study 8 Even if I caused you [deep sorrow, pain] sorrow by my letter [epistle, written message], I do not [totally] regret it [feel remorse]. Although I did [previously] regret it [feel sorry], I now see [perceive, understand] that my letter [written words] caused you [grieved you] sorrow [sadness, distress], but only for a short [brief] time [season, hour]. word study 9 And now [at this present time] I rejoice [am glad, feel happy], not because you were made sorrowful [grieved, distressed], but because your sorrow [godly sorrow, regret] led you to repentance [a change of heart, turning to God]. For you felt the sorrow [sorrow that God intended, remorse] that God [the supreme Deity, Creator] had intended, and so were not harmed [damaged, suffered loss] in any way by us [through our actions, because of us]. word study 10 Godly [according to God, theocratic] sorrow [grief, sadness] brings [produces, leads to] repentance [a change of heart, turning away from sin] that leads to salvation [rescue, spiritual safety] without [not accompanied by] regret [sorrow, remorse], but worldly [of the world, secular] sorrow [grief, sadness] brings [results in, produces] death [separation from God, eternal destruction]. word study 11 Consider what this godly [sorrow that comes from God, a divine grief] sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness [diligence, eagerness to act], what eagerness to clear [defend, justify] yourselves, what indignation [righteous anger, displeasure], what alarm [fear, concern], what longing [deep desire, yearning], what zeal [enthusiasm, dedication], what vindication [avenging, making right]! In every way [in all things, completely] you have proved yourselves to be innocent [pure, clean] in this matter. word study 12 So even though I wrote [for a specific purpose, with a deliberate intention] to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong [committed an injustice, acted unrighteously] or the one who was harmed [suffered injury, experienced wrongdoing], but rather that your earnestness [diligence, eagerness] on our behalf [for our sake, in our interest] would be made clear [revealed, manifested] to you in the sight of God [before the presence of the Almighty, under divine scrutiny]. word study 13 On account of this [because of your response], we are encouraged [comforted, consoled]. In addition to our own encouragement [comfort, solace], we were even more delighted [exceedingly joyful, rejoiced] by the joy [deep happiness] of Titus [a faithful disciple]. For his spirit [breath, vital principle] has been refreshed [given rest, rejuvenated] by all of you [every one of you, collectively]. word study 14 Indeed, I was not embarrassed [put to shame, disappointed] by anything I had boasted [gloried, taken pride] to him about you [concerning your faith, on your behalf]. But just as everything we said [spoken, uttered] to you was true [in truth, genuine], so our boasting [glorying, pride] to Titus [before Titus, about you] has proved [been found, turned out] to be true [a truth, authentic] as well. word study 15 And his [inward, tender] affection [feelings of pity or sympathy] for you is even greater [excessively, beyond measure] when he remembers [recalls, thinks about] that you were all [every one of you] obedient [submissive, compliant] as you welcomed him with [accompanied by, characterized by] fear [reverence, awe] and trembling [quaking, shaking]. word study 16 I rejoice [am glad, have joy] that I can have complete [full, utter] confidence [trust, faith] in you [in all things, concerning you]. word study