1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and ruach, bringing set-apartness to completion in the fear of Elohim.
2
Make room for us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We exploited no one.
3
I do not say this for condemnation, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.
4
Great is my boldness toward you. Great is my boasting concerning you. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.
5
For indeed, when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but in everything we were afflicted— conflicts outside, fears within.
6
But Elohim, who comforts the lowly, comforted us through the coming of Titos,
7
and not only through his coming, but also through the comfort with which he was comforted among you, reporting to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
8
For even if I grieved you with the letter, I do not regret it. Even if I did regret it— for I see that the letter grieved you, though only for a time—
9
now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved toward repentance. For you were grieved according to Elohim, so that in nothing you might suffer loss from us.
10
For grief according to Elohim produces repentance toward deliverance, without regret, but grief of the world produces death.
11
For see this very thing: your being grieved according to Elohim— what earnestness it produced in you, what defense, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what correction. In everything you proved yourselves to be clean in the matter.
12
Therefore even though I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did wrong, nor for the sake of the one wronged, but so that your earnestness for us might be made manifest to you before Elohim.
13
Because of this we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even more abundantly over the joy of Titos, because his ruach has been refreshed by all of you.
14
For if I boasted anything to him concerning you, I was not put to shame. But just as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titos became truth.
15
And his inward affection is even more abundant toward you, remembering the obedience of all of you, how with fear and trembling you received him.
16
I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.