1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Open your{+} hearts to us: we wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no man.

3 I don't say it to condemn [you{+}]: for I have said before, that you{+} are in our hearts to die together and live together.

4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you{+}, great is my glorying on your{+} behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

5 For even when we had come into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but [we were] afflicted on every side; outside [were] fightings, inside [were] fears.

6 Nevertheless he who comforts the lowly, [even] God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

7 and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you{+}, while he told us your{+} longing, your{+} mourning, your{+} zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more.

8 For though I made you{+} sorry with my letter, I do not regret it: though I did regret [it] (for I see that that letter made you{+} sorry, though but for a season),

9 I now rejoice, not that you{+} were made sorry, but that you{+} were made sorry to repentance; for you{+} were made sorry after a godly sort, that you{+} might suffer loss by us in nothing.

10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, [a repentance] which brings no regret: but the sorrow of the world works death.

11 For look, this very same thing, that you{+} were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it worked in you{+}, yes what clearing of yourselves, yes what indignation, yes what fear, yes what longing, yes what zeal, yes what avenging! In everything you{+} approved yourselves to be pure in the matter.

12 So although I wrote to you{+}, I did not [write] for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your{+} earnest care for us might be made manifest to you{+} in the sight of God.

13 Therefore we have been comforted: And in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you{+}.

14 For if in anything I have gloried to him on your{+} behalf, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you{+} in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth.

15 And his affection is more abundantly toward you{+}, while he remembers the obedience of all of you{+}, how with fear and trembling you{+} received him.

16 I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you{+}.