Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
{Greek: Make room for us.}Open your hearts to us: we wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no man.
I say it not to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together.
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.
For even when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly, even God, comforted us by the {Greek: presence. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9.}coming of Titus;
and not by his {Greek: presence. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9.}coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he was comforted in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more.
For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it: though I did regret it ( {Some ancient authorities omit for.}for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season),
I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance {Or, unto a salvation which bringeth no regret}unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter.
So although I wrote unto you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be made manifest unto you in the sight of God.
Therefore we have been comforted: and in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit hath been refreshed by you all.
For if in anything I have gloried to him on your behalf, I was not put to shame; but as we spake all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth.
And his affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you.
Querverweise zu 2. Korinther 7,2 2Kor 7,2
I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little.
For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet.
but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;
but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much {Or, stedfastness}patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,
in the word of truth, in the power of God; {Greek: though.}by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor:
Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
And I will most gladly spend and be {Greek: spent out.}spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
Did I take advantage of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you?
I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? walked we not {Or, by the same Spirit}in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him),
And Moses was very wroth, and said unto Jehovah, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart:
Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a {Or, bribe}ransom {Or, that I should hide mine eyes at him}to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
If then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself.
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.
If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting:
I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers {Or, with}for the truth.
I wrote somewhat unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wicked words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that would he forbiddeth and casteth them out of the church.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.
For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.
For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness;
nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have {Or, been burdensome verse 9; Compare 1 Corinthians 9:4 ff.}claimed authority as apostles of Christ.
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe:
For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.