2 Corinthians 7
What Happens in This Chapter
Paul asks the believers in Corinth to make room for him in their hearts and says he has wronged no one. He tells how worn out and afraid he was in Macedonia, and how God comforted him when Titus arrived with good news about them. He explains that the hard letter he sent made them sad for a short time, but their sadness led them to turn from wrong. He ends by saying Titus was refreshed by them and that he can trust them completely.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
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.
1Dear friends, God has made us these promises. So let us make ourselves clean. Let us wash away everything that dirties our bodies and our hearts. We honor God, so we keep growing holy, set apart for him.
2Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
2Please make room for us in your hearts. We have not hurt anyone. We have not led anyone into wrong. We have not cheated anyone.
3I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
3I am not saying this to blame you. I told you before that you are in our hearts. We live and die together with you.
4Great 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.
4I speak to you freely and openly. I am very proud of you. I am full of comfort. Even in all our troubles, my joy spills over.
5For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
5When we came to Macedonia, our bodies got no rest. Trouble pressed on us from every side. Outside there were fights. Inside there were fears.
6Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
6But God comforts people who are sad and worn down. He comforted us when Titus came.
7And 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.
7It was not only that Titus came. You had comforted him, and his news comforted us. He told us how much you wanted to see me. He told us you were sad about what happened. He told us you cared deeply about me. So I was even happier.
8For 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.
8My letter made you sad. Even so, I am not sorry I sent it. For a while I was sorry. But I see it made you sad for only a short time.
In 1611 English, "repent" here just meant to be sorry or to regret something. Paul is saying he was sorry for a while that he sent the letter, but he is not sorry now.
9Now 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.
9Now I am glad. Not glad that you were sad, but glad your sadness changed you. You turned away from what was wrong. Your sadness was the kind God wanted. So we did not harm you at all.
10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
10Sadness that comes from God makes people turn away from wrong. That leads to being saved, and no one is ever sorry about it. But the world's kind of sadness leads to death.
11For 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.
11Look at what this godly sadness did in you. It made you care. It made you want to clear your name. It made you angry at the wrong. It made you afraid. It made you long to see me. It made you eager to act. It made you want things put right. In every way you showed you were innocent in this matter.
The old word "revenge" at the end of this verse does not mean getting back at someone. It means wanting the wrong to be fixed and justice done.
12Wherefore, 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.
12So I did write to you. But not because of the man who did the wrong. And not because of the man who was hurt. I wrote so you could see, with God watching, how much we care for you.
13Therefore 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.
13All of this comforted us. We were even happier to see Titus so glad. All of you made his spirit feel rested and fresh again.
14For 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.
14I had bragged to Titus about you. I am not ashamed of that. Everything we told you was true. And our bragging to Titus turned out true too.
15And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
15Titus cares for you even more now. He remembers how all of you did what was right. He remembers how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.
16I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
16So I am glad. I can trust you in everything.
← → to turn the page · P for plain English · click a verse to sit with it