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 7,9 2Kor 7,9
Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly, even God, comforted us by the {Greek: presence. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9.}coming of Titus;
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.
to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
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 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.
For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame:
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.
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 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.
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
For we rejoice, when we are weak, and ye are strong: this we also pray for, even your perfecting.
For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made {Or, better}glad.
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye {Or, continually}indeed, but understand not; and see ye {Or, continually}indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and {Or, their heart should understand}understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.
Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste,
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art Jehovah my God.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart {Hebrew: soundeth.}yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto {According to some Massoretic text., him.}me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.
I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.
Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight:
I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and {Greek: kissed him much. See chapter 7:38, 45.}kissed him.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son {Some ancient authorities add make me as one of thy hired servants. See verse 19.}.
But the father said to his {Greek: bondservants.}servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus {Many ancient authorities omit Christ.}Christ.