1 Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

2 Make room for us. We have wronged no one, corrupted no one, taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I speak very freely to you, and I boast greatly about you. I am filled with comfort; in all our affliction I overflow with joy.

5 For even when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. We were afflicted in every way: conflicts outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more. 8 For even if I caused you sorrow with my letter, I do not regret it. Even if I did regret it—I see that the letter caused you sorrow, though only for a time— 9 now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved in a godly way, so that you suffered no harm from us. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death. 11 Look at what this very godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to see justice done! In every way you have shown yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did wrong or the one who was wronged, but so that your earnest concern for us might be made clear to you in the sight of God. 13 For this reason we have been comforted. Beyond our comfort, we rejoiced even more at Titus' joy, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 For if I boasted to him about you in anything, I was not put to shame. Just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting before Titus proved true as well. 15 His affection for you is even greater as he remembers the obedience of you all and how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that I can have confidence in you in every way.