1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s 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 one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one. 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. 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.

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. 6 Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, 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 of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

8 For 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. 9 I 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. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For 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 vindication! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. 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. 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. 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. 15 His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16 I rejoice that in everything I am confident concerning you.

1 Armsad, et meil on niisugused tõotused, siis puhastagem endid kõigest, mis ihu ja vaimu rüvetab, täiustades oma pühitsust jumalakartuses.

2 Andke meile ruumi oma südames! Me ei ole kellelegi liiga teinud, me ei ole kedagi kahjustanud, ei ole kedagi ära kasutanud. 3 Ma ei räägi seda teie süüdistamiseks. Nagu ma ennegi ütlesin, et teie olete meie südames, et me üheskoos sureksime ja üheskoos elaksime. 4 Ma olen teie suhtes väga julge, olen isegi teie üle uhke. Te olete mind palju lohutanud, mu rõõm on piiritu vaatamata kõigile raskustele.

5 Kui me tulime Makedooniasse, ei saanud me rahu, vaid meid ahistati kõikjal – meie ümber oli tülid, meie sees hirmud. 6 Ent Jumal, kes julgustab mahasurutuid, on meid lohutanud Tiituse tuleku kaudu. 7 Kuid mitte ainult tema tulekuga, vaid ka lohutusega, mida ta oli saanud teilt. Sest ta jutustas meile teie igatsemisest, teie kahetsusest, teie innukusest minu pärast. See suurendas mu rõõmu veelgi.

8 Isegi kui ma teid oma kirjaga kurvastasin, ei kahetse ma seda. Tõsi küll, ma kahetsesin, sest ma saan aru, et mu kiri teid mõnda aega ikkagi kurvastas. 9 Aga nüüd ma rõõmustan – mitte seepärast, et teie kurvastasite, vaid et teie kurvastus tõi kaasa meeleparanduse. Te ju kurvastasite Jumalale meelepäraselt, nii et meie ei ole teile kahju teinud. 10 Sest Jumalale meelepärane kurvastus toob meeleparanduse päästeks, mida ei kahetseta. Ilmalik kurvastus toob aga surma. 11 Näete ju ise, millise agaruse on teis esile toonud Jumalale meelepärane kurvastus, millise soovi end puhastada, millise nördimuse, millise kartuse, millise igatsuse, millise põlemise, millise valmiduse teha, mis õige! Teie olete käitunud igati laitmatult selles asjas. 12 Seega ei saatnud ma teile seda kirja sellepärast, kes tegi halba, ega sellepärast, kellele tehti halba, vaid selleks, et te võiksite ise veenduda, kui väga te meist hoolite Jumala ees. 13 Just see julgustabki meid.

Lisaks meie endi julgustusele on meil olnud eriti hea meel näha Tiituse rõõmu, sest tema vaim on saanud kosutust teie kõikide poolt. 14 Ja et ma ei ole jäänud häbisse, kui ma olen teid temale kiitnud. Nagu me teile oleme alati rääkinud tõtt, nii on ka kiitlemine teist Tiitusele osutunud tõeks. 15 Ja tema kiindumus teisse on seda suurem, kui ta meenutab teie kõikide kuulekust, kuidas te võtsite teda vastu kartuse ja värinaga. 16 Mul on hea meel, et võin teie peale täiesti kindel olla.