2 Corinthians 7

KJV · Chapter 7/13

¹Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

²Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

³I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live 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.

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.

⁶Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

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.

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.

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.

¹⁰For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

¹⁶I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Paul expresses great relief and joy upon learning, through Titus, that his earlier severe letter had produced genuine repentance in the church at Corinth, and not merely hurt feelings. He explains the difference between godly sorrow, which leads to repentance, and worldly sorrow, which leads to death.

Explanation

This chapter reveals Paul's emotional relief after a period of tension with the church: an earlier letter (now lost, or possibly part of 1 Corinthians) had caused deep sorrow, but resulted in genuine repentance, a change of attitude, and reconciliation. The distinction between “godly sorrow” and “worldly sorrow” is central: the former acknowledges wrongdoing before God and seeks to correct course, producing life; the latter is self-pity or despair without real transformation, leading to spiritual ruin. Paul's joy at seeing the Corinthians' “zeal,” “indignation,” and desire to make things right shows how true repentance manifests in concrete attitudes, not just passing feelings. Today's practical application is to distinguish between destructive guilt and genuine repentance that produces real life change.

Fun facts

Titus, mentioned repeatedly as the messenger between Paul and Corinth, would later receive his own pastoral letter from Paul (the book of Titus), being sent to organize churches on the island of Crete.
The 'severe letter' referred to here has intrigued scholars for centuries: some believe it is 1 Corinthians itself, while others think it was a letter now lost, written between the two canonical epistles.

Verse-by-verse explanation

2 Corinthians 7:1He concludes the appeal from the previous chapter about God's promises (being a Father, receiving them as children): since they have these promises, Paul asks them to cleanse themselves from everything that defiles body and spirit.
2 Corinthians 7:2He asks for a place in the Corinthians' hearts (“Receive us”), defending himself against any accusation of having wronged, corrupted, or exploited them.
2 Corinthians 7:3He makes clear he isn't accusing anyone: he had already said before that the Corinthians are deeply bound to him, for better or worse, “to die and live” together.
2 Corinthians 7:4He expresses a mix of confidence and relief: he speaks boldly about them, feels proud, and is filled with comfort and joy, even amid the tribulations he just described.
2 Corinthians 7:5Paul describes a moment of anguish in Macedonia, full of “without were fightings, within were fears” — until Titus's arrival, right after, brought good news from the church in Corinth. It's the apostle's more human, anxious side, not just the confident preacher.
2 Corinthians 7:6After mentioning the anxiety he felt in Macedonia, he tells of the relief: God, who comforts the downcast, brought that comfort through the arrival of Titus.
2 Corinthians 7:7He details why Titus's arrival was so good: he brought encouraging news of the Corinthians — their longing for Paul, their tears, their zeal for him — which left him even more relieved.
2 Corinthians 7:8He speaks of an earlier severe letter mentioned in their correspondence (not 1 Corinthians, but another that was lost): even though it made the Corinthians sorrowful for a time, Paul doesn't regret it, because the final result was good.
2 Corinthians 7:9He explains why he doesn't regret it: the sorrow the letter caused led to genuine repentance, not to lasting damage in their relationship.
2 Corinthians 7:10Paul distinguishes two kinds of sorrow: one that leads to repentance and real change, “godly sorrow,” and another that only drags a person down without producing any fruit, “the sorrow of the world.” He says this about the Corinthians' reaction to the severe letter he sent earlier.
2 Corinthians 7:11The list of reactions — “indignation... fear... zeal... revenge” — describes how well the Corinthians responded to Paul's correction, showing they took the problem seriously instead of becoming defensive.
2 Corinthians 7:12He reveals the real motive behind the severe letter: it wasn't about the one who caused the offense or the one who suffered it, but about showing the Corinthians, before God, how much Paul cared for them.
2 Corinthians 7:13Because of this positive outcome, Paul feels doubly comforted: by the Corinthians' response and by the joy he saw in Titus, whose spirit was refreshed by the visit.
2 Corinthians 7:14He tells them he had already boasted about Corinth to Titus before the visit, and was relieved not to be put to shame: everything he had said about them proved true in practice.
2 Corinthians 7:15He describes Titus's affection for the Corinthians as even greater after the visit, remembering how they received him with obedience, respect, and care.
2 Corinthians 7:16He closes the chapter with a declaration of complete confidence: after all this, Paul rejoices that he can trust the Corinthians fully once again.

Chapters

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