1.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2.
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
Verse 2
Receive us; receive our instructions and admonitions.
3.
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
4.
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Verse 4
The comfort and joy spoken of by the apostle in this verse, is that which resulted from the intelligence which Titus brought him, as explained in 2 Corinthians 7:6,2 Corinthians 7:7.
5.
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Verse 5
Fightings; the encountering of opposition and hostility.
6.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7.
And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
8.
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
Verse 8
With a letter; with his first Epistle to them, which was filled with reproofs.--I did repent; I did regret the necessity of sending, such a communication.
9.
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Verse 10
Worketh--death,--worketh evil; that is, it is mere suffering, conducive to no good end.
11.
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Verse 11
Indignation; earnest disapprobation of the sins which the apostle had exposed.--Revenge. The words revenge and vengeance are often used, in the New Testament, in the sense of the execution of judgment. The apostle seems to refer particularly to their promptness in punishing the person whose case is the subject of consideration in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13:
12.
Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
Verse 12
For his cause that suffered wrong. It is uncertain to whom Paul refers in this expression. It may be to himself, as injured by the reproach which the case brought indirectly upon him; or it may be to some individual at Corinth injured by the offence. The meaning is, that he was not governed by any personal considerations, but by regard for the general welfare of the church.
13.
Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
Verse 13
Your comfort; comfort in you, that is, in the intelligence which Titus brought respecting you.
14.
For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15.
And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16.
I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.