2nd Corinthians Chapter 7
From The Open Bible Project
7:1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- (a) Both of body and soul, that by this means the sanctification may be perfect, consisting in both the parts of the flesh.
7:2 Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.
- (1) He returns again from that admonition to his own person, contrasting with them the testimonies both of his faithfulness and also of his continual good will towards them.
- (b) Let me have some place among you, that I may teach you.
7:3 I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.
- (c) To condemn you of unkindness or treachery.
7:4 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.
7:5 For 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.
7:6 Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
- (d) Whose hearts are cast down, and are very much worn out.
- (e) With those things which Titus told me of you at his coming, that is, how fruitfully you read over my letters. And moreover and besides that, I am exceedingly refreshed with his presence.
7:7 and 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.
7:8 For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.
- (2) An objection: but you have handled us roughly. The apostle answers that he did not use his roughness without grief. And he adds moreover, that he is also glad now that he drove them to that sorrow even though it was against his will, since it was so profitable to them. For there is a sorrow not only praiseworthy, but also necessary, that is, by which repentance grows by certain degrees: and for this repentance he praises them highly. And this is the fifth part of this epistle.
7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.
- (f) In that this sorrow did you much good in leading you to amend your obscene behaviour and sins.
7:10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.
- (g) God’s sorrow occurs when we are not terrified with the fear of punishment, but because we feel we have offended God our most merciful Father. Contrary to this there is another sorrow, that only fears punishment, or when a man is vexed for the loss of some worldly goods. The fruit of the first is repentance, and the fruit of the second is desperation, unless the Lord quickly helps.
7:11 For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry 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.
7:12 So 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.
- (h) It was neither fake nor counterfeit, but such as I dare give account of before God.
7:13 Therefore 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.
7:14 For 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.
7:15 His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him.
7:16 I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you.
