Paul’s Joy in the Corinthians

Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in [the] fear of God.

2 

Make room for us in your hearts We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3 vvv I 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]. 4 Great [is] my confidence in you; great [is] my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows

5 

For [when] we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every [direction] — conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort vvv [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.

8 

Even if I caused you sorrow by [my] letter, vvv I do not regret [it]. Although I did regret [it]— for I see that [my] letter [caused] you sorrow, but only for a short time—9 [yet] 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. 10 vvv Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

11 

Consider [what] this vvv godly sorrow of yours[fn] 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. 12 So 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[fn] would be made clear to you in the sight of God. 13 On account of this, we are encouraged.

And in your encouragement,[fn] we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 Indeed, vvv I was not embarrassed vvv by anything I had boasted to him about you. But just as everything we said to you vvv [was] true, so our boasting to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is even greater when he remembers that you {were} all obedient [as] you welcomed him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice[fn] that vvv vvv I can have complete confidence in you. 8