2 Corinthians 7
- Who wrote it
- Paul
- Who it was for
- The church in Corinth
- What was happening
- Titus brings good news, and godly sorrow leads to joy
What’s happening
Having these promises, Paul urges them to cleanse themselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. "Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one." He says this not to condemn them, for he has said before that they are in his heart, to die together and to live together. "Great 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." When he came into Macedonia, their flesh had no rest: "we were afflicted on every side. Outside were fightings. Inside were fears." But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted them by the coming of Titus, and by the comfort with which Titus was comforted about them, as he told of their longing, mourning, and zeal for Paul. Paul does not regret his letter, even though he regretted it for a time, for it grieved them only for a while. "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way... For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death." See what earnestness this godly sorrow produced in them: what eagerness to clear themselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment. In everything they have proved themselves innocent in the matter. Paul wrote not for the sake of the offender or the one wronged, but so that their earnestness for Paul might be made known to them before God. Titus's spirit was refreshed by them all, and what Paul had boasted about them to Titus proved true. "I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you."
Why the setting matters
Here the story's turning point appears. Paul had sent a painful letter and waited anxiously; now Titus has arrived and the news is better than he feared. Chapter 7 reads like a long breath out, and it fills in what he felt between 2:12-13 and now: the "fightings" and "fears" in Macedonia (7:5). The distinction between godly and worldly grief is one of the most practical in the letter: godly grief leads away from a sin and toward life, while worldly grief just sinks into regret or self-pity. The list of what the Corinthians showed (7:11) reads like an inventory of a church waking up. Notice also what Paul says the letter was for: not to punish a wrongdoer but to reveal the Corinthians' own loyalty. It is not clear whether the Corinthians' repentance was complete or only that of the majority; Paul's later chapters (10 to 13) suggest that some still opposed him, which is one reason scholars debate how the letter fits together.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Comforted by Titus's report, and rejoicing that the church repented.
Titus
Brings good news from Corinth, refreshed by the Corinthians.
The believers in Corinth
Sorrowed in a godly way and showed earnestness.
The offender
The one wronged and the wrongdoer, left unnamed.
Talk it through
- Paul says godly grief and worldly grief lead in different directions. How can you tell them apart?
- Paul admits he first regretted his letter and then did not. What does that say about honest ministry?
- Titus's report brought Paul comfort. Who has been a Titus for you?
- Paul says the letter's purpose was to show the Corinthians' own earnestness. What does that suggest about the purpose of correction?
Read 2 Corinthians 7
World English Bible
1Having 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 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 vengeance! 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.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources