1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilements of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have defrauded no one.

3 I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

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

5 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were fightings, inside were fears.

6 Nevertheless God, who encourages the downcast, encouraged us by the coming of Titus,

7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was encouraged in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the letter made you sorry, even if for a while.

9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry unto repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.

10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vengeance! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

13 Therefore we have been encouraged in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

14 For if in anything I have exulted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our exulting to Titus was found true.

15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.

16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.