Comforted by the Coming of Titus
Titus reaches Macedonia with news, and Paul's fear breaks. His painful letter had grieved them and he half regretted sending it, but the grief turned them. Grief our Father intends leads to repentance no one regrets. He says plainly that he trusts them again.
7 1So, loved ones, having these promises, let us purify ourselves from all impurity of flesh and spirit, completing holiness in fear of our Father.
2Make room for us in your hearts. We've wronged no one, corrupted no one, exploited no one. 3I don't say this to condemn you. I said before: you're in our hearts, to die and live together. 4I have great confidence in you, great pride in you. I'm filled with comfort, overflowing with joy in all our suffering.
5Even when we reached Macedonia, our bodies had no rest—harassed on every side, conflict outside, fear inside. 6But our Father, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. 7Not only by his arrival, but by the comfort he received because of you—he told us of your longing, your grief, your zeal for me—so I rejoiced even more.
8Even though my letter grieved you, I don't regret it—though I did regret it, since I see that letter grieved you, if only briefly. 9Now I rejoice—not that you were grieved, but that your grief brought repentance. You were grieved as our Father intends, so you suffered no loss by us. 10For grief according to our Father's will produces repentance to salvation, without regret; but worldly grief produces death. 11See what this grief according to our Father's will produced in you: diligence, eagerness to clear yourselves, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, readiness for justice! In everything you've proved yourselves innocent in this matter. 12Though I wrote to you, it wasn't for the wrongdoer's sake, or the wronged party's, but so your sincerity for us would be clear to you before our Father. 13That's why we've been comforted. Beyond our own comfort, we rejoiced even more at Titus's joy, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you. 14Whatever I boasted to him about you didn't shame me. Just as everything we told you was true, so our boasting before Titus proved true. 15His heart for you is greater still, remembering how you all obeyed, welcoming him with fear and trembling. 16I rejoice, because in everything I have complete confidence in you.
