2 Corinthians 7: Godly Sorrow for Sin Leads to Repentance

A Warning against Too-Familiar Association with Unbelievers (continued) (7:1)

The first verse of this chapter belongs to the former discussion (6:14–18) and should be read as its conclusion. It constitutes both an appeal and an exhortation. Its center is a twofold admonition that the Saints cleanse themselves from both physical defilement and spiritual pollutions and take upon themselves an ever-greater degree of holiness motivated by their reverence for God. We include it here to keep our Rendition parallel with the KJV. The rest of the chapter is introduced below.

Greek Text

1 ταύτας οὖν ἔχοντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀγαπητοί, καθαρίσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος, ἐπιτελοῦντες ἁγιωσύνην ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

7:1 Having therefore these promises / Now since we have these promises: The verb ἔχω (echō), “to have,” is found here as a plural present participle and is used circumstantially with a causative sense. We have, therefore, translated it as “since we have.” The noun ἐπαγγελία (epangelia), “promise,” carries the “implication of obligation to carry out what is stated.”¹ The promises that God makes to the righteous are the ones that Paul refers to in the last two verses of the preceding chapter (see Translation Notes for 6:16–17). These are that God will favorably receive these people, walk among them, and accept them as his sons and daughters.

dearly beloved / dear friends: The term is one of endearment designed to express the Apostle’s care for his readers. The phrase places Paul’s following admonition as an act of love and consideration for what is best for both them and him. We have translated the adjective ἀγαπητοί (agapētoi, literally “beloved”) as “dear friends” to be more in line with current English usage.

let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit / let us purify ourselves from every defilement of the flesh and spirit: The verb καθαρίζω (katharizō), “cleanse, purify,”² is found here as an aorist hortatory subjunctive and, because of the aorist aspect, expresses an urgent desire for the results of something that is contingent on an action. Here it is that the Christian becomes morally pure. Paul’s use of the first-person plural “let us” shows his willingness to be identified with his readers and emphasizes his loving relationship with them.³ The verb, in a religious sense, refers to purifying an object, thus making it acceptable to God. In the broader biblical context, it most often refers to ritual cleansing, through which one is prepared for temple worship by being freed from the defilement of sin. Through this act, in the Pauline context, the person makes himself or herself right before God through the sanctification of the heart and soul. This state comes through obedience to the great commandment to love God and neighbor. Though there is a strong connection between this act and baptism, with its total remission of sins,⁴ in the present context Paul is referring more to the repentance process after baptism.

The noun μολυσμός (molysmos), “defilement,”⁵ in the figurative sense as here strongly implies befoulment of something that should have been kept morally clean, pure, and especially sacred.⁶ It can refer to a condition that results from evil acts or intentions and often through heathen associations.⁷ The noun σάρξ (sarx), “body,” figuratively refers to “the outward side of life,”⁸ while πνεῦμα (pneuma), “spirit,” figuratively represents the inner self. Thus, the phrase “body and spirit” refers to “the whole personality, in its inner and outer aspects.”⁹

perfecting holiness in the fear of God / and thereby complete our sanctification through reverence for God: The verb ἐπιτελέω (epiteleō), found here as a plural present participle, has the root sense of bringing something to an end, but here the nuance is to “complete, accomplish, perform, bring about.”¹⁰ It is used as a circumstantial participle of manner; hence we have translated it as “thereby complete.” It suggests the cooperative need for the Christian to be engaged in a process that brings about the desired result. For Paul, that result is ἁγιωσύνη (hagiōsynē), “holiness.”¹¹ In the present context, the noun denotes that aspect of moral purity that comes not through cultic practices but by being led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:4). Its result is sanctification, wherein one receives the qualities and characteristics of the divine.¹² Paul’s admonition should not be taken to suggest an advocation of instant holiness in this life, for that would be contrary to his teachings in other places. Rather, he is advocating an ever-advancing holiness that is derived through repeated acts of self-consecration.¹³

Paul refers to the instrument or means for doing so as ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ (en phobō theou), “through reverence for God.”¹⁴ The noun φόβος (phobos), “fear,” “reverence,”¹⁵ denotes the very strong emotional reaction when one is confronted by overpowering might.¹⁶ That reaction can be either positive or negative depending on how one sees oneself in relation to that power.¹⁷ If negative, the result would be terror with a desire to flee.¹⁸ If positive, the result would be deep reverence with the desire to worship.¹⁹ Due to the sense of worship that the noun carried, it became exclusively associated with the faithful’s reaction toward the Divine. In the New Testament, it describes the motivational factor that drives each Christian to follow God. Though it never fully lost its sense of dread in displeasing God, it came more and more to denote the respect and awe that the believer had toward the Father and Son. That respect was generated by Deity’s graciousness and mercy, especially as expressed in the Atonement of Christ.

The phrase ἐν φόβῳ (en phobō), “through reverence,” in the dative case expresses the instrument or means through which holiness is derived. For Paul, the driving force of his ministry was his deep and abiding awe and feelings of love generated by all that the Savior had done not just for him but for many others. His hope appears to be that, for his followers, it was reverence, awe, or love, not the fear of provoking God, that provided the instrument and power to follow the way of the Father, no matter the cost.²⁰

Analysis and Summary

The material in 7:1, though placed with chapter 7 in the KJV, actually concludes Paul’s argument begun in 6:14 and should, therefore, be read as part of it. For the sake of keeping our Rendition parallel with the KJV, we analyze it here.

The motivations behind Paul’s words are very clear. The Corinthians must be reconciled to the Apostle and to the gospel message he preaches. In order to reach them, he has used a tone that is strident, even severe. Given, however, the force of the opposition against him, sharpness appears to be all the more necessary to prick those he wishes to reach back into oneness with him. Perhaps sensing that his language could be taken as too impersonal and rigorous, Paul now deftly changes tone as he moves into a short resumption of his plea that the Saints, once again, be united with him.²¹

Based on the scripturally derived promises he has brought to the fore (see Translation Notes for 6:16–17), the Apostle admonished his readers to accomplish two tasks. The first is to cleanse themselves from two destructive forces—namely, the filthiness of the flesh and the filthiness of the spirit. The word for defilement that Paul uses here, μολυσμός (molysmos), generally “refers to religious defilement from worshipping other gods” that renders one, from both the Jewish and Christian point of view, both physically and spiritually impure.²² Associating with nonbelievers in their idolatrous practices was one sure way of contracting deep uncleanliness, especially due to the immoral behavior often associated with their form of worship. When he says to cleanse themselves, contextually Paul asks them to “withdraw . . . from any unholy alliances and association with idolatry.”²³ Thus, Paul’s admonition does not apply to literal ceremonial washing such as the Jews practiced, but to a spiritual and figurative purity.²⁴ The idea grew out of Jesus’ teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7). There, the Lord gave the higher law, showing that purity was not a matter of outward washings but of being pure of heart and character. By the time Paul wrote, the Christians had adopted this view.²⁵ It is primarily to maintain such a state of purity that Paul admonishes the Christians to refrain from the practice of any unholy things (6:17; this idea is echoed in D&C 109:20).²⁶ The Apostle’s words show that moral cleanliness consisted of more than the physical or external side of life (the flesh); it also included the internal (the spirit). Thus, Paul is admonishing his readers to purify the whole of their personalities in both the external and internal dimensions.

The second task he wishes his readers to achieve is a state of holiness (ἁγιωσύνη, hagiōsynē) motivated by their reverence and awe (φόβος, phobos) for God. Holiness is a specific state associated with the Divine and the objective he assigns his people. Proper character is the object of holiness. In Christ, the noun “holiness” refers to his perfectly divine character, but in the Christian, it refers to a process through which the Saint’s character grows toward ultimate perfection. The seat of saintly reverence and awe is love for God inspired by the gospel—that is, the plan of salvation—that he has put into action.

Looking at Paul’s wish through a Latter-day Saint lens is helpful. Of himself the Lord declared, “Man of Holiness is my name” (Moses 7:35), thus connoting his very nature. For that reason, he can say that all “must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God” (Moses 6:57). The reason is that, in order to be comfortable with him, adherents must partake of his nature. As the Book of Mormon warns unbelievers, “Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell” (Morm. 9:3–4). For this reason, God demands that his people be like him. As he says, “be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:45; 1 Pet. 1:15–16).²⁷

Paul’s writings show he is well aware of this injunction (Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 3:16–17; Eph. 1:4; Col. 1:22–23; Titus 1:8). The state of holiness comes by resisting and then overcoming the forces and enticements that hold one to the world. It is tracked by the degree of one’s separation from the mundane and profane²⁸ and expressed by the fact that the Saint is led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14).²⁹ The means or instrument for achieving this highly sanctified state, as Paul says, is the awe or reverence that the Saint feels toward the Father and Son. A life generated by these feelings promotes the pursuit of holiness in thought and action.

The Appeal Based on Titus’s Report (7:2–16)

At this point (7:2–4), Paul picks up the plea he began in 6:11–13 that these people accept him as he has accepted them. The rest of the chapter is but an elaboration of the appeal the Apostle makes here. Though, as his words make clear, he and his companions have achieved an important if temporary victory, in which he greatly rejoices, not all the local challenges have been overcome. Indeed, his detractors are yet present and active. He must, therefore, pursue his cause. Even so, this chapter never loses its very positive tone.

Once he has made his plea, he reaches back to where he left off at 2:11–13. There he expressed his heartfelt concerns for both Titus and the Corinthian Saints. The themes and questions he registered there he picks up again in this section and in doing so refreshes his readers’ memory concerning the drama that caused him to write this letter.

He reminds them that his great anxiety over not finding Titus where he expected him (2:13) enhanced the agony he suffered due to his concern especially for Corinthian Saints (7:5).³⁰ His pain centered on the possibility that the Apostle’s tearful and very forceful letter delivered by Titus may have further alienated his readers rather than uniting them to him. Thus, as he explains, his reuniting with Titus is now the cause of an overflowing fulness of joy due to his companion’s report of the very positive reception both he and Paul’s letter received among the house churches in the area (7:5–7). We see in this pericope how Paul again brings up the themes of joy and sorrow his relationship with this segment of the Church has caused (see 1:23–2:4). In doing so, he signals he is now closing that portion of his argument (7:8–13a). He concludes this section by emphasizing the joy both he and Titus felt because of the Saints’ positive and humble reaction to Paul’s rather harsh letter (7:13b–16).³¹

This pericope reveals that Paul’s major concern does not center on his relationship with the branches in the area only. “The fidelity of the Corinthians to the apostle is no private matter, and it does not have to do with Paul’s person. It has to do with the fidelity to the Gospel, which binds them to Christ, and thereby to Titus and to all other Christians.”³² To fail to achieve this unity would exacerbate the forces of apostasy already too rampant among many branches of the nascent Church. Therefore, Paul must continue to be forceful, convincing, and uniting. The following study shows his skill in doing so.

“Receive Us”: The Plea Resumed (7:2–4)

Greek Text

2 Χωρήσατε ἡμᾶς· οὐδένα ἠδικήσαμεν, οὐδένα ἐφθείραμεν, οὐδένα ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν. 3 πρὸς κατάκρισιν οὐ λέγω, προείρηκα γὰρ ὅτι ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν ἐστε εἰς τὸ συναποθανεῖν καὶ συζῆν.4 πολλή μοι παρρησία πρὸς ὑμᾶς, πολλή μοι καύχησις ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν· πεπλήρωμαι τῇ παρακλήσει, ὑπερπερισσεύομαι τῇ χαρᾷ ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

7:2 Receive us / Make room for us in your hearts: With this verse, Paul begins another pericope, in which he seeks to further reconcile himself to his readers and to the Corinthian house churches as a whole. The verb χωρέω (chōreō), “to be able to accept, to receive,” or “to make room for, hold, contain,”³³ found here as an aorist imperative expressing the aorist aspect of urgency, figuratively refers to making room for someone in one’s heart and thus accepting her or him as a friend.³⁴ The phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek but is implied, and so we use it in our Rendition. By using the imperative mood, the Apostle stresses his desire that friendship be, once more, kindled between himself and his readers.

Note Paul’s repeated use of the nominalized adjective οὐδείς (oudeis), “no one,” in each of the following statements. In Greek they give this passage a rhythm and force that would appeal especially to the ears of those who listened to the epistle being read. The threefold declaration would likely help unite them with the Apostle.

we have wronged no man / We have treated no one unjustly: Having asked his readers to renew their friendship with him, Paul now gives three reasons why that should happen. The verb ἀδικέω (adikeō), “do wrong,” denotes treating someone unjustly with the nuance of causing them injury.³⁵

we have corrupted no man / we have corrupted no one: The verb φθείρω (phtheirō), “ruin, corrupt,” carries the nuance of a deterioration in the inner life leading to moral destruction.³⁶ This condition was generally brought about by an association with evil persons.³⁷

we have defrauded no man / we have taken advantage of no one: The verb πλεονεκτέω (pleonekteō), “exploit, outwit, defraud,” denotes the act of taking advantage of another, often motivated by greed.³⁸

7:3 I speak not this to condemn you / I am not saying this to condemn you: The noun κατάκριτις (katakrisis), “condemnation,” denotes judging someone “definitely guilty and thus subject to punishment.”³⁹ The Apostle’s negation of the force of the noun assures his readers that he in no way assumes that they are thinking the worst of him.

for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you / for as I have already said, you have a place in our hearts such that we would live or die together with you: The sentiment Paul expresses here echoes that found in 3:2 and 6:11 (compare Philip. 1:7). The noun καρδία (kardia), “heart,” here expresses Paul’s deep feelings of love for these people (see Translation Notes for 1:22). The verb συναποθνῃσκω (synapothēskō) denotes dying with someone,⁴⁰ while συζάω (syzaō) means living together with someone.⁴¹ In the larger Greco-Roman world, the phrase “to live and die with someone” expressed “the abiding nature of real friendship.”⁴²

7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you / I have great confidence in you: The meaning of the Greek phrase is unclear and, therefore, can be taken in a number of different ways. The adjective πολύς (polys), “much,” “great,” denotes what is “high on a scale of extent” and thus also carries the nuances of “strong” and “profound.” The adjective also denotes what is “large in quantity and measure,” thus “many, large, great, extensive.”⁴³ The English word “great,” expressing as it does a high degree of something, catches the flavor in the present context.

The adjective παρρησία (parrēsia), “confidence,” has three nuances. It can refer to “boldness” of speech, denoting a form of speech that neither passes over nor conceals anything and is, thus, frank and plain.⁴⁴ The KJV follows this nuance. In a related way, the adjective denotes “openness in speaking and acting in public” and can be translated “I have spoken to you with great openness.” Taken in this way, and based on 3:12 and 6:11, Paul could be reiterating and thus stressing his open posture and frankness of speech when dealing with these people.⁴⁵ Finally, the adjective carries the idea of “confidence, boldness, fearlessness.”⁴⁶ Taken in this way, Paul could be reassuring these Saints of his absolute sureness in their feelings toward him. Given the context, we follow the majority of translations and take this position in our Rendition.⁴⁷ His point seems to be that he has used complete candor when it comes to his relationship with them and that he is fully confident in their willingness to accept him once more.

great is my glorying of you / I have great pride in you: On the adjective πολύς (polys), “great,” see above. The noun καύχησις (kauchēsis), “pride,” denotes “the state of being rightfully proud”⁴⁸ of someone or something. It stands in contrast to the nouns τῦφος (typhos), “conceit, arrogance,”⁴⁹ and ὑπερηφανία (hyperēphania), “arrogance, haughtiness, pride,”⁵⁰ which nuance the negative aspect of pride. Kauchēsis can also refer to a cause for boasting and denotes either the source or the object of boasting but is not necessarily negative, as Ammon also boasts of his God in Alma 26.⁵¹ In this case, Paul feels that the Corinthian Saints have much about which to rejoice, and he is proud of them.

The preposition ὑπέρ (hyper), “in,” with the genitive ὑμῶν (hymōn), “you,” functions here as “a marker of the moving cause or reason” for something and means “because of.”⁵² The phrase ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν (hyper hymōn), therefore, shows that the Corinthian Saints themselves are the cause of Paul’s justified pride in them; taking the full nuances of this sentence together, the implication is that Paul’s defensible boasting about these people has been extensive.⁵³

I am filled with comfort: The noun παράκλησις (paraklēsis), “comfort, consolation,” “encouragement,” can denote that which either lifts the spirit or emboldens in belief or action.⁵⁴ The context here suggests the former. The verb πληρόω (plēroō), “fill,” “complete,” found here as perfect passive, means to be filled to the full on the one hand and to be completed or finished on the other.⁵⁵ Again, the context suggests the former. The perfect voice shows that Paul’s confident feelings arose in the past and continue into the present.

I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation / I am overflowing with joy in all our tribulation: The verb ὑπερπερισσεύω (hyperperisseuō), “be in great excess” or “supply lavishly,”⁵⁶ found here in the passive voice, refers to that which exceeds expectations and abounds beyond count or to an extreme measure.⁵⁷ The noun χαρά (chara), “joy,” “gladness,” denotes that which brings great pleasure or delight.⁵⁸ With the grammatical construction Paul chooses, he emphasizes the overabundance of delight in their present circumstance. Those circumstances he denotes with the noun θλίψις (thlipsis), “affliction, tribulation.”⁵⁹ The word denotes a particularly distressing kind of trouble afflicting one either inwardly or outwardly. The first-person plural pronoun ἡμῶν (hēmon), “our,” likely does not reflect a common distress shared by him and his readers but, based on 1:4, the affliction that he, Timothy, and Titus have endured (see Translation Notes for 1:4). The preposition ἐπί (epi), “in, on,” shows that Paul’s joy is not contingent or dependent on distress, but rather that in the midst of all that he has endured and continues to endure, he finds both comfort and joy.⁶⁰

Analysis and Summary

In 7:2, Paul picks up the appeal he began in 5:20. He reaches out to his readers, asking them to open their hearts to him in friendship once more. He assures them that his dealings with them have been above board and honest in all aspects in spite of being accused otherwise (12:17–18).⁶¹ Neither he nor his companions, he assures them, have wronged, corrupted, or defrauded anyone ever. That each of these verbs are in the aorist tense (which looks at a single event in the past) suggests that Paul is referring to his actions at the time he ministered in Corinth.⁶² The Apostle reassures his readers (7:3) that in making his defense, he is neither accusing them of distrusting him, nor is he trying to put them in their place or on the defensive.⁶³ Indeed, he stresses that he carries them in his heart always, whether in life or death.⁶⁴ He recognizes that they are all in this struggle together, and for their sake, he is willing to go the distance. Where such affection and sympathy abound, he assures them, there can be no room for condemnation.⁶⁵

In the broader context of the letter itself that speaks so openly of life and death (2:16; 4:10–12; 5:14–15; 6:9), we see the Apostle using the metaphor in a particularly theological way. Indeed, life and death are the way of the Christian, for they were the way of Christ. “For the believer, both death and life are aspects of a true ministry, true community, and a true walk with God. Thus, Paul’s expression of friendship, that he is ready to die or live with the Corinthians, is undergirded by a robust theology of relationships with Christ.”⁶⁶ Those who have entered this relationship and, thus, come under the power of his grace with its reciprocal obligations are to live in a way that is holy. They achieve this by both separating themselves from the world of sin and dedicating themselves to the service of God.⁶⁷ They do not, however, cloister themselves away from the world. Instead, they live in a condition of continual outreach to people who can benefit from and are willing to receive their help. Certainly, to effectively discharge the work of their ministry, they must remain ever in the service of those in both God’s kingdom and the world.⁶⁸

Paul’s statement in 7:4 reveals the great relief caused by the very positive report he has now received from Titus, newly returned from Corinth. He can now not only have full confidence (παρρησία, parrēsia) in his readers but also speak of his boasting (καύχησις, kauchēsis) about their faithfulness to him. Indeed, Titus’s report has brought him such complete comfort (παράκλησις, paraklēsis) that he can testify that he is now overflowing (ὑπερπερισσεύω, hyperperisseuō) with joy (χαρά, chara). Paul’s use of the perfect tense, “I am filled,” suggests that the Corinthian Saints have been for some time the source of his delight and that his long-past loving feelings for them, with the patience that they allowed, have now been fully and joyfully justified.⁶⁹

There is a point, however, that must not be overlooked. Paul and the others, even though they strive for righteousness and are fully engaged in God’s employ, still suffer tribulation. Though some may wish this condition otherwise, hoping that righteousness will act as a kind of insurance against life’s challenges and sorrows, it will not play out. Mortality demands that most will pass through tribulation, including periods of harsh afflictions, heartfelt distress, and deep sorrow (see, for example, D&C 78:14; 109:5; 112:13; 122:5). Such should not be a surprise, because the Master has clearly warned that “in the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33).⁷⁰ Further, John declared that the exalted are those “who have come out of great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14, our translation).

What Paul shows us is that, even during rough periods, joy is still possible. The object of his joy, however, is surprising. It is not the Saints he joys in but, based on 1:4, the tribulation he and his fellow missionaries have faced. Paul knew of what he spoke, telling the Roman Saints that “we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom. 5:3–5, our translation). As Paul sees it, it has been on account of the missionaries’ faithfulness during tribulation that they have received and continue to receive divine comfort and assurance. Titus’s report now amplifies, to a near-overwhelming degree, the divinely derived comfort and joy the missionaries have already received. However, even though Paul and his companions are experiencing such great joy, the context suggests that Paul is acutely aware that these afflictions are not yet over. Clearly no one has yet reached that point. From all appearances, however, Paul senses that it is approaching.⁷¹ This hope could be the ground that allows Paul to counterattack his detractors in chapters 10–13.

Noteworthy is that something quite remarkable happens in this section. Paul’s words of praise for his readers show that he and the Church have exchanged roles. As he noted in 1:3–7, it is the Apostle who first received comfort during distress, so he was in a position to give it to the Corinthian Saints. Now, it is the Apostle who is receiving comfort from them. They have become God’s tools and agents in bringing comfort and hope to the missionaries. This section shows that, in the Christian way, there are no absolute givers and no absolute receivers. Each Saint is expected to give and to receive as demand requires. The object is for the Saints to receive while in need so that they can be in a position to give to others who are in need. “In speaking in this way to the Corinthians, Paul elevates them remarkably. He does not leave them entrapped in a [potentially worldly] relationship of dominance and dependence, which they would have known quite well from Greco-Roman society, and which they experience from the [false] apostolic claimants. Paul allows them to be givers to him” and in so doing puts all on an equal footing. And he does more: “He implicitly draws them into acceptance of him as their suffering apostle.”⁷² In doing so, they bring to pass the reconciliation he so desires and with it all the attendant blessings.

Joy in the Report of Titus (7:5–7)

Greek Text

5 Καὶ γὰρ ἐλθόντων ἡμῶν εἰς Μακεδονίαν οὐδεμίαν ἔσχηκεν ἄνεσιν ἡ σὰρξ ἡμῶν, ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι—ἔξωθεν μάχαι, ἔσωθεν φόβοι— 6 ἀλλʼ ὁ παρακαλῶν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς παρεκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ Τίτου·7 οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει ᾗ παρεκλήθη ἐφʼ ὑμῖν, ἀναγγέλλων ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἐπιπόθησιν, τὸν ὑμῶν ὀδυρμόν, τὸν ὑμῶν ζῆλον ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ὥστε με μᾶλλον χαρῆναι. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia / For even when we came to Macedonia: The conjunction γάρ (gar), “for,” forms the connecting link between the foregoing material and what Paul is about to say concerning what it was that brought him the overwhelming joy he noted above.⁷³ The phrase ἐλθόντων ἡμῶν (elthontōn hēmōn), a genitive absolute construction used temporally, “when we came,” returns the course of the letter to where Paul broke off at 2:13.⁷⁴ That he uses the plural “we” here is a bit surprising since, in his early account (2:1–13), he mentions no one traveling with him. Though it is very likely he did not travel alone, his use of the plural may have been to deflect “attention from Paul’s person to his apostolic mission.”⁷⁵

The Roman province of Macedonia lay in the middle of what is now the Greek peninsula. In Paul’s day, the senatorial province of Thrace was on the north and Achaia on the south.⁷⁶ During his second mission, Paul had preached in the Macedonian cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea (Acts 16:9–17:10).

our flesh had no rest / our body found no rest at all: The noun σάρξ (sarx), “body,” “flesh,” refers literally to the substance that covers the bones of both humans and animals and also to the body itself.⁷⁷ By extension, it refers to both people and nations.⁷⁸ Metaphorically, however, its nuances range widely. Three of the more prominent are the nature of unregenerate humankind, the externals of one’s life, and the physical limitations imposed by mortality.⁷⁹ Given the connection between 2:13 and 7:5, the latter seems the best choice, thus indicating the stress felt by Paul’s weak, physical body due to the outward pressure he was experiencing at the time.⁸⁰ Even so, because he had earlier stressed the weighed-down nature of his spirit, it is likely that his use of sarx should be understood synonymously with both “spirit” and “body,” indicating his total distress in not hearing from Titus.⁸¹

The noun ἄνεσις (anesis), “rest, relaxation, relief,” denotes escape from anything that is onerous or troubling.⁸² The adjective οὐδείς (oudeis), “no,”⁸³ emphasizes that Paul did not have the slightest degree of rest during this period. The verb ἔχω (echō), “to experience something, have, hold.”⁸⁴ found here in the perfect tense, is telling. The worrisome restlessness he describes had begun sometime in the past but continued with him into the present. His wording suggests that, even though Titus had brought him very good news, he still felt, as he wrote these words, the possibility that trouble still remained among the Corinthians’ house churches, and this left him yet a bit unsettled.⁸⁵

but we were troubled on every side / rather, we were afflicted in every way: The verb θλίβω (thlibō), “to be troubled,” found here as a present passive participle, denotes suffering that comes due to the antagonism of persons or to the pressure of circumstances (compare 4:8).⁸⁶ Given the historical context, it is likely that Paul has the latter nuance in mind. This phrase is an anacoluthon—that is, its syntax does not correlate with what one would expect.⁸⁷ The phrase begins with a finite verb but then interrupts the structure with the participle. For flow, we have translated the participle as a verb. Paul’s use of the phrase ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι (en panti thlibomenoi), literally “in every way being afflicted,” emphasizes the breadth of his mental and emotional torment at the time.

without were fightings, within were fears / struggles on the outside, fears within: The adverb ἔξωθεν (exōthen), “outside,” denotes what is external to the individual⁸⁸ and, therefore, refers to what is going on around him or her. The noun μάχη (machē), “fighting, quarrels,” denotes generally any kind of strife or fighting.⁸⁹ It carries the nuance of “serious conflict, either physical or non-physical, but clearly intensive and bitter.”⁹⁰ The adverb ἔσωθεν (esōthen), “within,” in the present context denotes the “inner being,”⁹¹ while the noun φόβος (phobos), “fear,” designates “a state of severe distress, aroused by intense concern for impending pain, danger, evil, etc.”⁹² With these two phrases, Paul powerfully communicates the intense state that surrounded and engulfed him as he journeyed toward Corinth.

7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus / But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus: The adversative conjunction ἀλλά (alla), “but, yet, rather,”⁹³ is important here because it acts to shift “the semantic center of gravity to a positive tone.”⁹⁴ The verb παρακαλέω (parakaleō), “comfort, encourage,” primarily means to call someone to one’s side, generally so they can give aid.⁹⁵ By extension, it took on the nuances of both comforting and encouraging another. In Paul’s writings, the Apostle “sets consolation over against tribulation, suffering, and death, identifying his own sufferings with those of Christ, and at the same time sharing in Christ’s comfort.”⁹⁶ Paul also uses the word to denote the “act of emboldening another in belief or course of action,” thus “encouragement.”⁹⁷ In his writings, the idea of comfort is so tied to encouragement in the noun παράκησις (paraklēsis) that the two cannot be fully separated.⁹⁸ For discussion, see Translation Notes for 1:3–5 with associated Analysis.

The noun ταπεινός (tapeinos) generally carries the nuance of “humble, lowly,” but Paul, at this point, does not communicate any sense of self-humiliation as a means of gaining divine comfort, and therefore, such a nuance is absent here. On the other hand, the feeling carried by the nouns “downcast” and “discouraged” works.⁹⁹ Paul’s context shows that he has been brought low because of the circumstances that have surrounded him. According to the scriptures, it is those who have been brought down due not to their improper actions but to their suffering for righteousness’ sake whom God comforts.¹⁰⁰

The noun παρουσία (parousia), “coming,” refers primarily to the personal presence of an individual but also denotes a person’s arrival as the first stage of so being.¹⁰¹ It carries a positive nuance, connoting as it does both the coming and presence of either a god, a ruler, or their envoy. Often its purpose is to give largess to a people.¹⁰² Within the Christian community, its positive nuance was strengthened due to its association with the agreeable side of the Second Coming, with the reward that event promised. Its use here is appropriate, “since Titus was an envoy of Paul who was an envoy of Christ. Titus’s coming was in a sense a royal appearance of God’s surrogate, and Paul treats it as a special coming indeed.”¹⁰³ No doubt Titus’s personal arrival brought great comfort to Paul, but the more important source of that comfort was, however, Titus’s report of both his acceptance by the community and the positive reaction of the Corinthian Saints to Paul’s harsh letter.

7:7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you / And not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement he received while among you: With this clarification, Paul gives credit where credit is due. The phrase οὐ μόνον (ou monon), “not only,” reveals that Titus’s coming did bring Paul joy, but the major comfort, signaled by the phrase ἀλλὰ καί (alla kai), “but also,” came due to the envoy’s report on the positive reaction of the Saints to the Apostle’s epistle. As in the previous verse, Paul uses the idea of “comfort, encouragement” to describe what is going on. The last phrase in this clause is grammatically rather convoluted. It translates literally as “in the encouragement by which he was encouraged among you.” We have provided a more understandable contemporary English rendering.

when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me / when he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your earnest concern for me: The verb ἀναγγέλλω (anangellō), “to carry back information, to report.”¹⁰⁴ It is found here as a present active participle in the nominative case and used circumstantially with a temporal connotation, “when he [Titus] reported.” From a strict grammatical standpoint, the participle should be in the genitive case rather than the nominative since it refers back to Τίτου (Titou) in the previous verse, which is in the genitive case, but the meaning is clear. It is likely that Paul is more concerned about making his point than following grammatical rules when his point can be easily understood.¹⁰⁵

His triple use of the pronoun ὑμῶν (hymōn), “your,” is telling because it points to the positive change of heart that Paul’s harsh letter had caused among those who listened to it.¹⁰⁶ To give it special emphasis, he places it in each incident between the definite article and the noun.¹⁰⁷

Here Paul mentions three conditions that contributed to the great comfort that Titus’s report brought him. He captures the first with the noun ἐπιπόθησις (epipothēsis), “yearning desire for” something.¹⁰⁸ The word emphasizes the strength of the yearning.¹⁰⁹ He captures the second with the noun ὀδυρμός (odyrmos), denoting “lamentation, mourning.”¹¹⁰ The word is most often found in the context of funerary anguish, but it can be used for any occasion that engenders genuine grief or deep sorrow.¹¹¹ The third condition he captures with the noun ζῆλος (zēlos), “zeal, ardor,”¹¹² which expresses “deep concern for or devotion to someone or something.”¹¹³

so that I rejoiced the more / so that I rejoiced even more: The verb χαίρω (chairō), found here as an aorist infinitive, means to “rejoice” and expresses either the great delight a person feels in something or someone or a state of happiness and comfort.¹¹⁴ The former best fits the context here. The adverb μᾶλλον (mallon), “even more,” denotes something felt to a higher extent than before.¹¹⁵

Analysis and Summary

Beginning with 7:5, Paul returns the course of his letter back to his account left off at 2:13. Paul has used the long interruption that separates the historical narrative introduced in 2:14 and concluded at 7:4 to vindicate his apostolic office and doctrine and to praise God for his place in the ministry. His high acclaim for the Corinthian Saints found in 7:3–4, though not referring directly to his adventures in Macedonia, does pave the way for his return to the story of his meeting with Titus and then, at this point (7:5–7), stresses the relief and joy the latter’s very positive report brought him and why that was the case.¹¹⁶

The major cause of Paul’s anxiety was his fear that the forceful or tearful letter he had sent would further alienate the Corinthian Saints. Whether or not Titus actually carried the harsh letter to the Corinthians, the text does not state. Paul may have sent it ahead so that the local Saints would have time to ruminate on it before Titus arrived. It seems more likely, however, given Titus’s role as envoy, that he carried it.¹¹⁷

In chapter 2, the Apostle noted that while he was at Troas, he was struck with great anxiety when he was unable to rejoin Titus as he expected. He was hoping that his fellow missionary would meet him there with a report on how the Corinthian Saints had responded to his harsh letter. Even though God had provided an “open door” for his work in Troas (2:12), his anxiety to meet Titus precluded him from taking advantage of it. The fact that Paul would miss a God-given opportunity for furthering the advance of the gospel in the area underscores the seriousness with which the Apostle took the non-appearance of his friend. In the present passage (7:5), we see that his fear continued with him as he crossed into Europe.¹¹⁸

In 2:13 and 4:8, Paul alluded to the extreme mental and emotional distress he was under as he traveled toward Corinth, noting that his spirit was in a constant state of agitation. At this point (7:5), he elaborates on the soul-crushing weight he was carrying at the time. That Titus did not meet him when and where he expected likely exacerbated his fears. To stress his condition at that time, he uses very strong imagery. Surrounding him, he states, were serious, if nonphysical, struggles of an intense and bitter nature,¹¹⁹ while within him were fears (φόβοι, phoboi) arising from “a state of severe distress.”¹²⁰ Thus, he could testify that in every conceivable way he was suffering due to heavy worry and emotional pain (ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, en panti thlibomenoi).

This junction presents a significant turning point in the epistle. “These descriptions of conflicts and emotional turmoil, which are painted as both external and internal, express that the apostle had a difficult time of it during this period of ministry, and the trouble had taken its toll [compare 1:8–11]. But the experience also served to drive Paul deeper in his experience of God as is underscored in the next verse.”¹²¹

Indeed, in 7:6, Paul’s language suggests he experienced near-rapturous relief at the arrival and report of Titus. Truly, as the Apostle states, he received encouragement (παρακαλέω, parakaleō) derived from the Divine. As Paul’s envoy to the Corinthian Saints, Titus would have both recited and interpreted the letter, then likely answered any questions and attempted to dispel any concerns.¹²² This put him in a good position to judge his listeners’ reaction to Paul’s missive. Titus’s account brought the Apostle such cheer and hope that it all but dissipated his emotional distress and pain and greatly strengthened his resolve to visit the Corinthian Saints.

According to 7:7, there were three items in Titus’s report that Paul found particularly comforting. The first was the Saints’ strong desire (ἐπιπόθησις, epipothēsis) to please Paul and yield to his appeal as expressed in his harsh epistle. The second was their mourning (ὀδυρμός, odyrmos) because of the irritation, worry, and even misery that they had caused the Apostle, which led to his need to castigate them.¹²³ The third, and perhaps the most important, was the fervor or ardor (ζῆλος, zēlos) they now expressed toward the Apostle. The attitude suggests that they were anxious to put things right with the Apostle and, likely, to defend him against his detractors.¹²⁴ The result of this report, as he notes, greatly increased Paul’s joy even over that of reuniting with his good friend and companion. Once again, we see that the Apostle’s joy is enhanced by the joy of others (compare Philip. 2:27–28) and more especially by the effect of Titus’s mission on these beloved people.¹²⁵

The overall thrust of this section centers on the reconciliation that has now occurred between Paul and these treasured Corinthian Saints and the great relief and absolute joy it brought him. Titus’s report has made it clear that Paul’s love has been reciprocated and his primary audience now stands with him against those who were attacking him. This is an important point. His antagonists have not gone away. Based on what we will read in chapters 10–13, they are still working among the Saints and remain unbowed. Thus, the total unity between the various house churches has not been achieved.¹²⁶

Even so, among Paul’s primary audience, reconciliation, to his joy, has been achieved. The result is, as noted above, “a rare reversal of roles [in that] it is the apostle who [has been] a channel of comfort to the Corinthians and others (1:3–7). They now have become God’s means of comforting him in the midst of other unnamed troubles to which he refers in v. 5. The relationship between the apostle and his church is not one-way. He will not lord his authority over their faith (1:24). When and where God chooses, they must be the source of comfort to him.”¹²⁷

The Positive Effects of Paul’s Harsh Letter (7:8–12)

Greek Text

8 ὅτι εἰ καὶ ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ, οὐ μεταμέλομαι· εἰ καὶ μετεμελόμην (βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἐκείνη εἰ καὶ πρὸς ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς), 9 νῦν χαίρω, οὐχ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε, ἀλλʼ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ θεόν, ἵνα ἐν μηδενὶ ζημιωθῆτε ἐξ ἡμῶν.10 ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται.11 ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ κατὰ θεὸν λυπηθῆναι πόσην κατειργάσατο ὑμῖν σπουδήν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολογίαν, ἀλλὰ ἀγανάκτησιν, ἀλλὰ φόβον, ἀλλὰ ἐπιπόθησιν, ἀλλὰ ζῆλον, ἀλλὰ ἐκδίκησιν· ἐν παντὶ συνεστήσατε ἑαυτοὺς ἁγνοὺς εἶναι τῷ πράγματι.12 ἄρα εἰ καὶ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, οὐχ ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἀδικήσαντος, οὐδὲ ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἀδικηθέντος, ἀλλʼ ἕνεκεν τοῦ φανερωθῆναι τὴν σπουδὴν ὑμῶν τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

7:8 This verse presents a number of translation difficulties and, as a result, there are a number of different modern punctuation schemes and various translations. That others saw problems with the verse, as the number of variants found among the ancient manuscripts attest, reaches back at least as far as the third through fifth centuries.¹²⁸ Copyists rightly recognized that Paul had begun a new portion of his argument with the phrase εἰ καὶ μετεμελόμην (ei kai metemelomēn), “though I regret it,” but were not sure just where it went next. Some thought it ended with the phrase beginning βλέπω (blepō), “I see,”¹²⁹ while others saw it as extending all the way to νῦv χαίρω (nyn chairō), “now I rejoice,” in 7:9. The KJV has Paul’s argument beginning “I see,” but in doing so it forces the clause to state wrongly why Paul made the Corinthian Saints sorry. We have followed other copyists who saw all the material from “though I regret it” through “for a short time” as a parenthetical explanation. Though we found that certainty cannot be achieved by placing the words “for I see” as part of the parenthetical expression, it shows why Paul regretted having hurt the Corinthian Saints, and that seems to best fit the overall context.¹³⁰

For though I made you sorry with a letter / For even if I caused you sorrow with my letter: The verb λυπέω (lypeō) means to “become sad, sorrowful, distressed.”¹³¹ In 7:10, Paul also uses the noun λύπη (lypē), “sorrow.” Though each word can refer to physical pain (such as hunger or thirst or heat or cold), in the present context their nuance is more to the emotional side of distress. In that vein, they refer to pain that includes anxiety, anger, sorrow, or grief. The noun lypē is often translated as “grief.” Since, however, the word denotes “an intense emotional suffering or poignant sorrow especially for some real and definite cause,” it seems too strong to express the feelings of either Paul or his audience. The noun “sorrow,” expressing as it does the idea of distress of mind due to guilt,¹³² seems to catch the emotion felt by both parties better, and we use it throughout our Rendition. Paul’s words show that deep sorrow can, under certain circumstances, beget further and greater knowledge. His view conforms with that found in both the Greek and Hebrew Old Testaments: sorrow and suffering can have a positive outcome, provided they are met with faith, for the latter is the driving force behind repentance and becoming one with God, out of which comes peace.¹³³

The noun ἐπιστολή (epistolē), “letter,” denotes any written document, but in this case, it refers specifically to the harsh, if sad, missive Paul wrote to the Corinthian Saints shortly after his brief and unsuccessful second visit (2:3–4).¹³⁴ The Greek text has ἡ ἐπιστολή (hē epistolē), “the letter,” but the definite article has the sense of a possessive pronoun;¹³⁵ hence “my letter” in our Rendition.

I do not repent / I do not regret it: The verb μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai), “to have regrets,” denotes a wish that something could be undone.¹³⁶ The KJV translation of the word as “repent” can easily be misconstrued to suggest that Paul thought he had crossed a moral line.¹³⁷ Such is not the case. He simply regretted, for a time, that he wrote the letter, sensing after he sent it that its effect could not only cause sorrow to the people he loved (see 2:3–4) but also hurt his own cause.¹³⁸

though I did repent / even though I initially regretted it: The phrase εἰ καί (ei kai), “even though,” used here concessively,¹³⁹ points to a moment in the past when Paul regretted sending the harsh letter. Thus, we have added the word “initially” to carry this nuance.

for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry / for I see that the letter made you sorry: The conjunction γάρ (gar), “for,” introduces the reason for the regret, and the rest of the phrase reveals Paul’s deep care for these people. The verb βλέπω (blepō), “to perceive, . . . see,”¹⁴⁰ in the present context means to become aware of something, in this case Paul’s realization of the negative effect his letter could have. On the verb λυπέω (lypeō), “to cause sorrow,” see above.

though it were but for a season / although only for a short time: The phrase πρὸς ὥραν (pros hōran), literally “for an hour,”¹⁴¹ denotes “a relatively short period of time, with emphasis upon the temporary nature of the event or state,¹⁴² but based on Paul’s usage of the term in Galatians 2:5 and 1 Thessalonians 2:17, it connotes a short period of time that nonetheless seems to drag on and on.¹⁴³

7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry / Now I am happy, not because you were made sorry: The adverb νῦν (nyn), “now,” denotes less the present moment and more the present situation in which Paul finds himself.¹⁴⁴ On the verb χαίρω (chairō), “be glad,” see Translation Notes for 7:7. Here the context connotes a state of happiness or well-being.¹⁴⁵ Paul is saying that the present situation has brought him happiness. On the verb λυπέω (lypeō), “to cause sorrow,” see Translation Notes for 7:8.¹⁴⁶ He uses the phrase οὐχ ὅτι (ouch hoti), “not because,” to assure his readers that it was not their pain that made him happy.

but that ye sorrowed to repentance / but that your being made sorry led you to repentance: The phrase ἀλλʼ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν (all’ hoti elypēthēte eis metanoian) translates literally “but that you were made sorry to repentance.” We rephrased it in our Rendition to better convey the contemporary English sense of the passage. On the verb λυπέω (lypeō), “to cause sorrow,” found here as an aorist passive, see Translation Notes for 7:8. The noun μετάνοια (metanoia), though consistently translated as “repentance” in most biblical versions, does not necessarily carry the idea of spiritual or emotional remorse or contrition due to sin as does the English. In the present context, its focus is on a change of attitude, with its accompanying behavior brought on by sorrow due to a now-recognized inappropriate act.¹⁴⁷

for ye were made sorry after a godly manner / For you were made sorry in a godly manner: The conjunction γάρ (gar), “for,” is causal explaining what caused the Apostle to feel the way he currently does. On the verb λυπέω (lypeō), “to cause sorrow,” found here as an aorist passive, see Translation Notes for 7:8. The preposition κατά (kata), literally “according to” or “in conformity with,”¹⁴⁸ denotes doing something according to the will or manner of another. In this case, it is God. As such, the thrust is toward the quality of the sorrow rather than its fact.¹⁴⁹ Paul is saying that his readers’ response to his harsh letter expressed God’s way and will. Specifically, here, it seems that godly sorrow refers to “the sorrow of the man who has become aware of his lostness in the world, and who cries again to God in [repentance] from the world.”¹⁵⁰

that ye might receive damage by us in nothing / such that you suffered no loss through us: The conjunction ἵνα (hina), “such that,” expresses result.¹⁵¹ The verb ζημιόω (zēmioō), “to suffer damage” or “loss,”¹⁵² found here as an aorist subjunctive passive, refers to experiencing the loss of something “with [the] implication of undergoing hardship or suffering.”¹⁵³ The prepositional phrase ἐν μηδενί (en mēdeni), “in no way,” stresses the total lack of something.¹⁵⁴ The whole phrase explains why Paul feels happy with developments. Not only was no one hurt in any way by his harsh letter, but more importantly, good came of it.

7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of / For godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation that is without regret: The conjunction γάρ (gar), “for,” is again causal and introduces the reason Paul’s readers were not harmed by his harsh letter. He again refers to “godly sorrow” and the “repentance” it engenders. On these, see Translation Notes for 7:9. The verb ἐργάζομαι (ergazomai), “work,”¹⁵⁵ in this context denotes that which carries out, brings to pass, or produces something¹⁵⁶—namely, σωτηρία (sōtēria), “salvation.” The noun denotes deliverance from harm, and here refers particularly to the deliverance of the soul in immortality that Jesus as Savior provides.¹⁵⁷ Its promise, however, is manifest in the present by the reception of the Spirit (Eph. 1:13–14; 4:30; John 14:16–17). Paul describes this kind of salvation with the adjective ἀμεταμέλητος (ametamelētos), “without regret,” denoting that which brings neither remorse, sorrow, nor emotional or spiritual suffering of any kind ever.¹⁵⁸

but the sorrow of the world worketh death / But worldly sorrow produces death: On the noun λύπη (lypē), “sorrow,” see Translation Notes for 7:8. The noun κόσμος (kosmos), “world,”¹⁵⁹ though often carrying the positive nuance of order and harmony as produced by God, in the present context takes on a negative color connoting human affairs that are alienated from God and opposed to him.¹⁶⁰ The word is found in the phrase ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη (hē de tou kosmou lypē), literally “but the sorrow of the world.” We have translated this as “worldly sorrow” to better catch the sense in contemporary English.¹⁶¹ The verb κατεργάζομαι (katergazomai), “produce,” refers to causing a state or condition.¹⁶² In this case, that condition is θάνατος (thanatos), “death.” Though often referring to physical death, in the present context the noun refers to spiritual death resulting from an unwillingness to repent and accept the saving power of Christ.¹⁶³

7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort / For see what this very thing, this being made sorry in a godly manner, has produced in you: The particle ἰδού (idou), “see, look, behold,”¹⁶⁴ acts as a marker of strong emphasis nuancing the complete validation of what Paul has said. In this case, as the phrase αὐτὸ τοῦτο (auto touto), “this very thing,” shows, idou refers back to the effect of Paul’s harsh letter on its target audience. To make sure his readers understand exactly to what he is referring, the Apostle explicitly identifies it in a parenthetical expression. On the verb “sorry,” see Translation Notes for 7:8; on the phrase κατὰ θεόν (kata theon), “in a godly manner,” see Translation Notes for 7:9; and on the verb κατεργάζομαι (katergozomai), “to produce,” see Translation Notes for 7:10.

what carefulness it wrought in you / what earnestness: The noun σπουδή (spoudē), “earnestness,” “haste,” or “diligence,” denotes an eager willingness to discharge an obligation.¹⁶⁵ In King James English, the word “careful” denoted an anxiousness to fill a task with care¹⁶⁶ and was, thus, used properly to translate the Greek term. Since the modern English word “careful” has lost that nuance, the archaic meaning no longer works. We have, thus, translated the Greek using the modern English word that best fits.

yea, what clearing of yourselves / indeed what eagerness to defend yourselves: The conjunction ἀλλά (alla), “but, yet, rather,” usually has an adversative sense,¹⁶⁷ but here it marks a contrastive emphasis,¹⁶⁸ which Paul uses to introduce each new element “in an emphatic manner to denote an idea reaching a climax.”¹⁶⁹ The KJV translates this with the English adverb “yea,” which introduces an explicit or emphatic phrase,¹⁷⁰ but we have translated it as “indeed” since that better conveys the sense in contemporary English. Though the KJV, following the Greek text, has the adverb at the beginning of each noun, we have chosen, for the sake of flow, to leave it untranslated after its first use. The adjective πόσος (posos), “what,” denotes a degree of magnitude and is often translated as “how great” or “how much.”¹⁷¹ Since the English adjective “what” acts as an “interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity, nature, or value of an object,”¹⁷² we have followed the KJV in using it to introduce each of the following phrases even though the Greek text has it only here. The noun ἀπολογία (apologia), “defense,” here expresses the act of eagerly protecting oneself or others, so we have translated it as the phrase “eagerness to defend yourselves” to clarify the sense in contemporary English.¹⁷³

what indignation / what indignation: On πόσος (posos), “what,” see above. The noun ἀγανάκτησις (aganaktēsis), “indignation,”¹⁷⁴ refers to the strong opposition, displeasure, or anger aroused by something judged as wrong or mean.¹⁷⁵

what fear / what alarm: On πόσος (posos), see above. The noun φόβος (phobos), “alarm,” refers to one’s reaction to an intimidating or alarming force.¹⁷⁶

what vehement desire / what longing: On πόσος (posos), see above. The noun ἐπιπόθησις (epipothēsis) denotes a yearning or deep desire for something.¹⁷⁷

what zeal: On πόσος (posos), see above. The noun ζῆλος (zēlos), “zeal,” denotes an intensity of positive involvement and care for something often intimating a dedication to that thing.¹⁷⁸

what revenge / what desire to see justice done: On πόσος (posos), see above. The noun ἐκδίκησις (ekdikēsis) expresses the desire to have justice meted out.¹⁷⁹

In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter / In every particular you have shown that you were innocent in the matter: The phrase ἐν παντί (en panti), literally “in everything,” refers to every respect in which something happened, and here it indicates various ways these Saints have shown they have taken the Apostle’s censure seriously.¹⁸⁰ The verb συνίστημι (synistēmi), “to show,” denotes causing something to be revealed through an action.¹⁸¹ In this case what is shown is ἁγνός (hagnos). The adjective refers to what is pure or innocent.¹⁸² The noun πρᾶγμα (pragma), “thing, matter,” denotes that which has happened,¹⁸³ but the nuances of the word are very broad.¹⁸⁴ In this case, it points to the rebellion against Paul and his companions. But the Apostle’s use of this very broad word softens its thrust and thereby reflects his desire to leave behind the whole affair.¹⁸⁵

7:12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong / And so, even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did the wrong: The conjunction ἄρα (ara), “so,” “consequently,” expresses a result.¹⁸⁶ The preposition, ἕνεκεν (heneken), meaning “for the sake of” or “because,” marks the cause or reason for an action.¹⁸⁷ By using the phrase οὐχ ἕνεκεν (ouch heneken), “not because of,”¹⁸⁸ Paul makes it clear that his major purpose in writing the harsh letter was not directed at the offending party. The verb ἀδικέω (adikeō), “do wrong,” found here as an aorist masculine participle, denotes an act that, at its core, is unjust and causes injury.¹⁸⁹ The gender of the participle shows that the offender was a man.

nor for his cause that suffered wrong / nor on account of the one who was wronged: Using the conjunction οὐδέ (oude), “nor,”¹⁹⁰ Paul signals another factor that did not motivate him to write the harsh letter. The verb ἀδικέω (adikeō), “to do wrong,” is found here as an aorist passive masculine participle and means “to be wronged,” with the gender showing that the offended party was a man.

The use of the passive voice, “the one who was,” keeps the offended person out of direct sight. There is little doubt the phrase is an oblique reference to Paul himself, who by this means is able to keep himself in the background and, thus, dampen any remaining antagonism. The verb does, however, suggests the deep hurt that Paul suffered personally and publicly because of what happened.

but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you / rather it was in order to demonstrate to you your eagerness on our behalf before God: On the conjunction ἀλλά (alla), “but, yet, rather,” see Translation Notes for 7:11. Here it introduces a contrast¹⁹¹ and points to why Paul wrote his harsh letter. He again used the preposition ἕνεκεν (heneken), “in order to” (see above), to indicate his reason for writing. The verb φανερόω (phaneroō), “reveal, expose, . . . disclose,” found here as an aorist passive infinitive, refers to making something publicly known by disclosing it fully and clearly.¹⁹² Paul expresses the object of the demonstration with the prepositional phrase πρὸς ὑμᾶς (pros hymas), “to you.”¹⁹³ The purpose of the letter was to create a situation in which these Saints could see their error. On the noun σπουδή (spoudē), “eagerness,” see Translation Notes for 7:11. The preposition ὑπέρ (hyper), “in behalf of,” denotes what is to the advantage of another.¹⁹⁴ The phrase ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν (hyper hēmas), “in our behalf,” shows the direction of the advantage. It was directed primarily at Paul but also at his associates. The phrase ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ (enōpion tou theou), “before God,” speaks “of a right posture spiritually, whereby a person or community live in an awareness of their obligation to . . . God.”¹⁹⁵ Paul places it last in the sentence to emphasize its importance to all that has happened.

Analysis and Summary

In the subsection 7:8–12, Paul comments on why he wrote the harsh letter and happily notes its positive effect, which he desired it to have, on his target audience. Earlier (2:4) he noted the gut-wrenching emotions that filled him as he wrote that letter. What he did took “risky, tremulous courage,”¹⁹⁶ for, it seems, he realized that his words, rather than bringing reconciliation, could easily result in further alienation. If that happened, it would both embarrass him and hurt his cause.¹⁹⁷ Indeed, his anxiety amounted to near mental and spiritual paralysis, such that he could not conclude his mission the area of Troas (2:12–13)¹⁹⁸ but had to move on, driven by the hope of finding Titus. It must be kept in mind, however, that it was love, not malice, that drove him to write the stinging rebuke.

In 7:8, he readily admits he knew his letter would not just upset many among the Saints but also cause them emotional pain. For that reason, there was a time, he admits, that he regretted having to send it.¹⁹⁹ That period may have lasted up to the moment he heard Titus’s positive report.²⁰⁰ Despite all the agony he suffered, as he now writes, he neither backs away nor tries to dilute his awareness that he caused the Saints a good deal of pain. Thus, his words in 7:9 do not constitute an apology. Indeed, given the present circumstances, he assures his readers that he now has no regrets for writing it. The reason is that their salutary hurt acted as a catalyst to their repentance and their reconciliation with him.²⁰¹

Likely recognizing that his admission in not regretting sending the letter could be interpreted as a callous, if not cruel, sentiment, he explains, parenthetically, that it did, if temporarily, cause him sorrow. But he goes on to state that at present, in light of Titus’s report, he rejoices that he had the courage to send it. Even so, Paul desires now to put that whole matter behind everyone and move on. He hopes they can do this, because the pain he caused them, though sharp, was but only “for a moment” (πρὸς ὥραν, pros hōran) and led to healing repentance.²⁰² That positive outcome being the result, there was no need, he feels, to dwell on the past.²⁰³

Noteworthy is that Paul refers to repentance only six times in all his writings.²⁰⁴ At first glance, it seems strange that he would pay seemingly little attention to a primary gospel principle. It is likely that the reason is because the word, as understood at the time, did not sufficiently stress God’s action in the salvation process. With its Hebrew equivalent (תְּשׁוּבָה, tĕšûbāh), it means simply “turning,” a strictly human experience and operation. Paul, based in the few instances he uses the term, fills out what repentance actually requires. It is a process in which one recognizes one’s wrongdoing in the sight of God and seeks to make amends. Such wrongdoing includes improper behavior toward God’s anointed servants.²⁰⁵ Indeed, such behavior is actually an affront to God himself. The reason is that his servants proclaim his word and exercise his authority. They do not act for themselves but for the Divine. To reject them is to reject him and his word.²⁰⁶

On that basis, as revealed in 7:10, it is not surprising that recognizing what they had done brought the Corinthian Saints not just to feel badly but also to sorrow “in a godly manner” (κατὰ θεόν, kata theon).²⁰⁷ The phrase shows that these people sorrowed according to God’s will—that is, in such a way that it was heartfelt and life changing. According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, godly sorrow “includes an honest, heartfelt contrition of soul, a contrition born of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. It presupposes a frank, personal acknowledgment that one’s acts have been evil in the sight of Him who is holy. There is no mental reservation in godly sorrow, no feeling that perhaps one’s sins are not so gross or serious after all. It is certainly more than regret either because the sin has been brought to light or because some preferential reward or status has been lost because of it.”²⁰⁸

The Saints, through the instruments of Paul’s harsh letter and Titus’s work, seem to have recognized that by rejecting Paul, they had also rejected his message, the true gospel, and had thereby placed themselves in a most precarious spiritual position.²⁰⁹

Fortunately, through their repentance, as Paul notes, they “were harmed in no way by us.” But what harm did they avoid, and how was it related to Paul and his companions? Certainly, one answer is that the missionaries would not have visited them, and reconciliation with Paul, and by implication with God, would not have occurred. Instead, bitterness and schism in their relationship with Paul would have endured.²¹⁰ It is more likely, however, that the Apostle has eternal consequences in mind. As he notes in 7:10, godly sorrow leads to repentance, and repentance leads to eternal life. By realizing what they had done and feeling deeply sorrowful because of it in accordance with God’s will, they were once again reconciled to Paul and in the same breath to God, thus again assuring themselves of salvation.²¹¹

The implication of these verses is largely missed by Catholic and Protestant scholars. Because they have long since devalued the importance of the apostolic office, they do not catch the fact that Paul insists that reconciliation with God is impossible without the authority and direction of these presiding officers. They are his only duly appointed emissaries (πρεσβεύω, presbeuō)²¹² on the earth. Only they have his authority to pronounce his will, declare his doctrine, and delegate the performance of his ordinances and priesthood to others. Their first and foremost assignment is to bear witness to Christ in all the world (Matt. 28:19–20) and oversee others called to assist them (Acts 1:21–26; 6:1–4; 11:1–18; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11–14).²¹³ Paul clearly understood, as did the Corinthian Saints who followed him, that only through union with him could they be reconciled to God, because he not only preached the correct doctrine but also had authority to implement its teachings and regulations. The Divine authenticated this apostolic power through confirming signs and more especially the gift of the Holy Ghost with its attendant wonders. By this means, testimony was, as it were, written on the hearts of the Saints (1:21–22; 3:3, 6; 4:6; 5:20; 12:12; see also 1 Cor. 9:1–2; 12:28; Eph. 2:20; 4:11–13; 6:20). Without this authority and its transforming power, salvation was impossible.²¹⁴

Paul goes on to note, in 7:10, that there is a difference between worldly and godly sorrow. The latter results in repentance that leads to positive actions that bring spiritual benefit that will never lead to regret because “it rests on true principles and never need[s] to be changed.”²¹⁵ On the other hand, any remorse of the former is often shallow, full of bitterness, self-pity, and devoid of positive actions.²¹⁶ Such sorrow can actually lead to greater harm because its suffering can yield to “a thirst for revenge.”²¹⁷

Paul’s remarks in 7:11 play a critical role in his outreach to his readers. Though he readily admits that his harsh letter caused sorrow, he is also quick to point out that the effect brought reconciliation, not harm, and more importantly spiritual life, not spiritual death, to the recipients. It was the comforting report of Titus, as Paul’s words show, that lifted him from the depth of his former apprehensiveness to the height of the joy he now feels.²¹⁸ To emphasize the point, he uses seven nouns, each an attribute of these people, to illustrate the magnitude of the positive effect his letter had on them and the good it brought as the Saints practiced the repentance that led to salvation.²¹⁹ The Apostle uses the noun “eagerness,” or “earnestness” (σπουδή, spoudē), as expressed in the actions of these Saints, to stress the source of his newfound relief and joy. The word reveals that these Saints not only were sincere about being reconciled to the Apostle but also did it with dispatch.²²⁰ That Paul preceded this noun with the indefinite adjective “what” (πόσος, posos) stresses the depth of their earnestness (as does the noun’s repetition in 7:12). Each of the following attributes continue to be colored by this nuance, and in doing so, Paul creates “an ascending climactic effect from [this] initial word.”²²¹

Their earnestness was first expressed by their strong desire to defend themselves (ἀπολογία, apologia). Though the noun could infer that they were trying to disclaim any association with Paul’s detractors, this interpretation seems weak because the text shows that they were at the least complacent in the Apostle’s libeling. Better interpretations would be that they either were desirous to defend themselves against any thought that they would condone any such behavior in the future or were defending themselves against Paul’s accusations that they had accepted false teachers. Either way, even though their stand was at least tacitly an admission of guilt,²²² “this was an improvement over [their] earlier lethargy” and revealed the correctness of the doctrine “that godly sorrow motivates people to seek correction in the sight of God.”²²³

Their earnestness next expressed itself through their “indignation” (ἀγανάκτησις, aganaktēsis). Paul does not identify those at whom these Saints’ strong displeasure was directed. The term could refer to how they felt about themselves for their former inaction or, more likely, to those perpetrators, including either the man who had caused so much grief (2:6–8) or those who had attacked Paul or both. At any rate, it seems to have been directed at any who caused the distress the branch had suffered.²²⁴

Going on, the Apostle notes they experienced “alarm” (φόβος, phobos). Again, he does not indicate what the source was. It could be their recognition that they had offended God’s representative and, in doing so, put themselves in a position to be rebuked by him (in 1 Cor. 4:21, he did threaten, speaking metaphorically, to come against them with a whip unless something was done)²²⁵ or, better, that they had put themselves under divine condemnation.²²⁶ This may be the source of the last three qualities Paul attributes to these people—namely, their deep longing (ἐπιπόθησις, epipothēsis), likely to be reconciled to Paul and thus to God; their zeal (ζῆλος, zēlos) in making that reconciliation happen; and finally, their desire to see justice done (ἐκδίκησις, ekdikēsis).²²⁷ The latter could refer to an attempt either to vindicate themselves from direct blame for the offense against Paul or to vindicate him against those who spurned him and rejected his authority.²²⁸

With a degree of magnanimity, the Apostle states that due to their efforts, these Saints have proven themselves “to be innocent in the matter” (ἁγνοὺς εἶναι τῷ πράγματι, hagnous einai tō pragmati). The statement should not be taken to mean that Paul felt they were initially guiltless but that, through the depth and sincerity of their repentance, they had become effectively blameless since they now had their former relationship with Paul restored.²²⁹

This verse highlights the forgiving spirit that marks the life of this Apostle. Though the actions of certain Corinthian Saints had caused him both high anxiety and great distress, he now declares them guiltless. Thus, he holds nothing against them and in doing so reveals the depth of his forgiveness. Such forgiving “is an expression of the Gospel: the rebellion and failure of the Corinthians are completely overcome, done away with. They no longer exist. Love does not keep an account of evil (1 Cor. 13:5).”²³⁰

The content of 7:12 clearly shows the central point of the harsh letter that had caused the sorrow Paul’s audience had initially experienced. The near-breaking point between him and these Saints had arisen, as the Apostle notes, over a confrontation that had happened sometime before between a person who had done wrong and a person wronged (2:5–7). The context shows that the latter was Paul himself. Someone in the branch had done him a grave injustice (ἀδικέω, adikeō). But just who was it? Though it may have been the incestuous person referred to in 1 Cor. 5:1–5, whose actions had been justified by some, this is unlikely because his sinful act would not have been directly injurious to Paul himself.²³¹ It is more likely that it was the turbulent fellow who confronted Paul face-to-face during his “flying visit” to Corinth.²³²

Just how this individual harmed Paul, the Apostle kindly does not say. Whatever the offense was, clearly it caused Paul the loss of face and credence among a certain number of branch members. The “wrong” the majority of the Saints may have committed was little more than expressing indifference in the matter. This may have been because they did not recognize its very serious implications and consequences until Titus, through the harsh letter, brought it forcefully to their attention.²³³ The whole matter, however, Paul now wishes to be swept aside. His harsh letter had accomplished its goal in that the guilty party or parties, and more especially the offender, had been properly chastised. That was enough.²³⁴

Having made that point, Paul next places his harsh letter in a larger context. Though he had written it to right a wrong, through God’s influence (ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ, enōpion tou theou) it had done much more. It had forced the Saints to see (φανερόω, phaneroō) that once they knew the truth, they were eager to defend him and his cause.²³⁵

But it should be kept in mind that, from Paul’s point of view at least, the issue is not reconciliation between them and him (as a person), but between them and his apostolic authority, witness, and doctrine. Therefore, he is very willing to overlook the guilt of these Saints, treating it as nonexistent. As such, he puts into practice his own counsel concerning the need to be reconciled to one another and to God.²³⁶ “This was not a mere fiction on his part: he means and believes what he says when he speaks of Christ having become sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in him (5:21).”²³⁷

“I Have Complete Confidence in You” (7:13–16)

Greek Text

13 διὰ τοῦτο παρακεκλήμεθα.

Ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ παρακλήσει ἡμῶν περισσοτέρως μᾶλλον ἐχάρημεν ἐπὶ τῇ χαρᾷ Τίτου, ὅτι ἀναπέπαυται τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πάντων ὑμῶν· 14 ὅτι εἴ τι αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κεκαύχημαι, οὐ κατῃσχύνθην, ἀλλʼ ὡς πάντα ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἐλαλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ καύχησις ἡμῶν ἡ ἐπὶ Τίτου ἀλήθεια ἐγενήθη. 15 καὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ἀναμιμνῃσκομένου τὴν πάντων ὑμῶν ὑπακοήν, ὡς μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἐδέξασθε αὐτόν. 16 χαίρω ὅτι ἐν παντὶ θαρρῶ ἐν ὑμῖν. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort / Therefore, we have been encouraged: This sentence finishes Paul’s thought begun in 7:8 explaining the result of Paul’s having written “to demonstrate to you your eagerness on our behalf before God” (7:12, NR).

The phrase διὰ τοῦτο (dia touto), “therefore, on account of this,” refers back to the source of Paul’s encouragement, namely the God given comfort through which he has sustained Paul and the other missionaries in all their trials (1:3–4; 7:4). On παρακαλέω (parakaleō), “to encourage, exhort, comfort,” see Translation Notes and associated Analysis for 7:6–7. Here it is found as a perfect passive participle. The force of the passive voice, like the connective phrase, looks back at the divine encouragement and comfort Paul and his fellow laborers have had and continue to enjoy.²³⁸

yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus / And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more greatly at Titus’s joy: This clause marks the beginning of a new paragraph and additional information in Paul’s explication. It begins with the preposition ἐπί (epi), which, with the dative, usually means “at” or “upon”²³⁹ but here carries the idea of “in addition to” or “over and above.”²⁴⁰ On the verb παρακαλέω (parakaleō), “to encourage,” see Translation Notes and associated Analysis for 7:6–7. On the verb χαίρω (chairō), “to rejoice,” see Translation Notes for 7:7.

The adverb περισσοτέρως (perissoterōs) denotes that which generates “a much greater degree” of something.²⁴¹ In this case, it refers to χαρά (chara), “joy,” “gladness.”²⁴² The noun carries the nuance of “great happiness.”²⁴³ To stress the point, Paul adds the adverb μᾶλλον (mallon), “even more.”²⁴⁴ Its role here is actually redundant since the adverb perissoterōs carries the idea of great abundance, but its use does allow the Apostle to stress the greatness of the joy felt due to Titus’s report.²⁴⁵

because his spirit was refreshed by you all / because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you: The conjunction ὅτι (hoti), “because,” marks the reason for or cause of an event.²⁴⁶ The noun πνεῦμα (pneuma), “spirit,” in the present context, denotes the inner being of a person.²⁴⁷ The verb ἀναπαύω (anapauō), “refresh,”²⁴⁸ found here as a perfect passive, denotes the stoppage of physical, mental, or emotional stress and its replacement by finding respite and renewal.²⁴⁹ The preposition ἀπό (apo), “from,” carries the concept of “because of”²⁵⁰ and gives credit to the Corinthian Saints for Titus’s delight. This phrase is quite revealing, for it suggests the strain and worry Titus felt as the bearer of the harsh letter and his great relief once his hearers reacted positively and humbly to it.²⁵¹ But, as the verb suggests, it did more. It brought revitalization, a new vigor to the young disciple.²⁵² Paul’s use of the perfect tense shows that Titus’s joy did not dissipate even after he met up with the Apostle.

7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you / For if I have boasted about anything to him concerning you: The conditional particle εἰ (ei), “if,” suggests Paul’s initial concern about how the proceedings would go. The verb καύχαομαι (kauchaomai), “boast about,”²⁵³ found here in the perfect tense, expresses a high degree of confidence in someone who has already proved exceptionally noteworthy.²⁵⁴ The tense highlights Paul’s “ongoing pride in them.”²⁵⁵ The preposition ὑπέρ (hyper) can have the various meanings “for, in behalf of, concerning, etc.” We have selected “concerning” as the best English rendering of the sense here. This was likely necessary because Titus, based on the Corinthian Saints’ past treatment of Paul and Timothy, had reservations about how these members would receive him. This concern made the Apostle’s assurance all the more important.

I am not ashamed / I have not been put to shame: The verb καταισχύνω (kataischynō), “disgrace,” “shame,” found here as an aorist passive, means “to be put to shame.” The nuance points to the disgrace and disappointment that comes “to one whose faith or hope is shown to be vain.”²⁵⁶

but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth / Instead, just as everything we told you in truth so also our boasting about you to Titus proved true: Paul here reiterates, likely for emphasis, what he has already said. The conjunction ἀλλά (alla), usually translated as “but,”²⁵⁷ here marks a strong contrast.²⁵⁸ To catch that nuance, we have translated it as “instead.”

The verb λαλέω (laleō), found here in aorist tense, means to “talk, speak” with the idea of expressing oneself.²⁵⁹ The noun ἀλήθεια (alētheia), “truth,” denotes both the content of what is true and a state of reality.²⁶⁰ In using the phrase ἐν ἀληθείᾳ (en alētheia), “in truth,” Paul could be referring to either his justification for not visiting them as he intended (which his detractors played so heavily) or to the points he made in the harsh letter or to what he has declared in this one.²⁶¹ Whatever the case, Paul is using the truthfulness of his boast about these Saints as evidence that everything else he has said in his defense is also true. On the verb καύχαομαι (kauchaomai), “to boast about,” see above. In the prepositional phrase ἐπὶ Τίτου (epi Titou), “to Titus,” epi denotes “before” or “in the presence of.”²⁶² It shows that, in speaking to Titus, Paul expressed his personal witness to his friend but let Titus determine the case by either accepting or rejecting the assignment.

7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all / And his affection for you is even greater when he remembers the obedience of all of you: The noun σπλάγχνον (splangchnon) literally refers to “the inward parts of the body, especially the viscera,” but as with καρδία (kardia), “heart,” the word was used metaphorically to refer to some aspect of the psychological or emotional side of humankind. ²⁶³ In this case, in addition to affection, it connoted compassion, sympathy, and love.²⁶⁴ On the adverb περισσοτέρως (perissoterōs), “even greater,” see Translation Notes for 7:13 with associated Analysis. The verb ἀναμιμνῄσκω (anamimnēskō), found here as a passive participle, means “remind someone of something.”²⁶⁵ The noun ὑπακοή (hypakoē), “obedience,” denotes, in this context, the fulfilling of apostolic counsel (10:6; Philem. 1:21).²⁶⁶

how with fear and trembling ye received him / how you received him with fear and trembling: For the noun φόβος (phobos), “fear,” “reverence,” “respect,”²⁶⁷ see Translation Notes for 7:1. The word denotes either a positive or a negative reaction to authority depending on how one sees oneself in relation to it.²⁶⁸ Thus the noun can refer to one’s distress or to one’s admiration. The noun τρόμος (tromos), “trembling,”²⁶⁹ refers to a physical shaking or quivering, usually due to anxiety or dread but also due to excitement or anticipation. This phrase is unique to Paul, and he uses it three times in his writings (here and in 1 Cor. 2:3 and Philip. 2:12). What Paul means to convey by using it is hard to determine because of the very different nuances possessed by each noun. If they are taken positively, then they show that the Saints welcomed Titus with excitement and respect. If taken negatively, they show that the Saints received him with an anxiety that expressed itself in trembling. The phrase echoes LXX Isaiah 19:16, which describes the reaction of Egypt as Jehovah moves against it, giving Paul’s use of the phrase negative force, and it could describe the Corinthians’ distress as they realized that by yielding to the accusations of the interlopers, they had put themselves in a position for apostolic and divine censure if not outright condemnation. The context, however, suggests that Paul intended the more positive nuance. A source of Titus’s joy grew out of the positive, even enthusiastic, response of these people to his coming. Their response revealed their excited anticipation and respect. It may be that these people did feel some anxiety because they distrusted their own ability to meet all the requirements imposed by Paul and the gospel he taught. But at the same time, because they were religiously striving to do their full duty, they also anticipated Titus’s visit with enthusiasm.²⁷⁰

7:16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things / I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you: On the verb χαίρω (chairō), “to rejoice,” see Translation Notes for 7:7. The verb θαρρέω (tharreō), “be confident, courageous,”²⁷¹ denotes certainty in a matter and showing firmness, boldness, or courage “in the face of danger or testing.”²⁷² The adjective πᾶς (pas), “full,” “completeness,” “whole,”²⁷³ expressing as it does the highest degree of something, reveals the depth of Paul’s confidence that these Saints will continue to support him.

Analysis and Summary

Prior to this point, Paul’s focus has been on his own interaction with the Saints. He now rejoices as he turns to the result of Titus’s interaction. His was the significant, yet difficult, even frightening, task of being the interface between the two estranged parties.²⁷⁴ The text (7:13) suggests that Titus had misgivings about being Paul’s agent in delivering the harsh letter, even though the Apostle expressed his faith that the Saints would readily accept Titus.²⁷⁵ Titus was, therefore, not only very relieved but also delighted to a high degree to find that Paul’s encouraging words proved true.²⁷⁶ We must not, however, take anything away from the role that Titus played. The text suggests that he deftly negotiated the rough, raging sea that was the taxed relationship between these two parties. Through his adroitness, he was able to calm the troubled waters.²⁷⁷ Due to the positive response to his efforts, the young disciple’s mind was quickly set at ease.²⁷⁸ Out of this grew not only further encouragement but also joy. Titus’s encouragement became the basis of Paul’s own, and the disciple’s joy the source of the Apostle’s.²⁷⁹

We must keep in mind, however, that the very pleasant picture painted in this pericope did not include everything or everyone. Paul’s defense against his detractors in chapters 10–12 shows that there were holdouts within the Corinthian membership. His stress in this section that he had always spoken the truth to them (7:14) may have been a polemical swipe at his antagonists, who impugned his reliability and credibility (1:13–23).²⁸⁰ Even so, it would appear that he now had the majority behind him. At the very least, Titus had been able to largely dispel the lethargy, if not the outright disunity, that once affected many and bring about the overall harmony that now prevailed. The expression of unity and loyalty to Paul is important to the Apostle as he now turns to the subject of the Jerusalem collection,²⁸¹ in which he hopes the Corinthian Saints will play a large part.²⁸²

In 7:14, Paul again expresses his great confidence (παρρησία, parrēsia) in these members (see Translation Notes for 7:4). This was not, however, the only way he expressed that confidence. He boasted (καύχομαι, kauchomai) about these people as he reassured Titus that he would be well received. That Paul felt he could boast about these Saints is doubly noteworthy. First, he generally insists that any boasting should be used in terms of expressing one’s feelings toward and witness of God, not other Saints, let alone humankind in general (10:17–18).²⁸³ Secondly, until Titus’s return, these members were far more a source of general concern (if not anxiety, frustration, and even sorrow) than a source of vaunting.²⁸⁴ Boasting in these people carried a great deal of risk. Thus, Paul’s boasting to Titus about his faith in these Saints could have proven vapid if the Corinthians rejected or mistreated the carrier of the letter. The result would have brought at best embarrassment to Paul and at worst great shame. Given the culture of honor/shame that existed in Corinth, Paul was taking a very real and potentially costly risk.²⁸⁵ To his great relief, the risk proved worth the effort.

The context suggests that, in this whole section, Paul praises these Saints as a means of ingratiating himself with them. He does so by generating an emotional effect that he designed to draw them ever closer. His tack is to use honey, not vinegar, as the means of attracting and holding them. The reason seems to be that he senses, even after Titus’s success, that his relationship with them has not yet been fully secured and thus needs an extra boost.

Using their kindly reception of Titus as the first step, the Apostle seeks, in this section of his letter, to fully gain their allegiance. Yet, his method—boasting about them—is shaped by the gospel and is thus tied to his belief that boasting should center on God and his work. The evidence that his trust in the gospel informs his boasting is seen in his encouragement to Titus that it took place before the young man left on his assignment. The move expresses raw confidence in the power of the word to perform its healing effect in and among the Saints. Paul’s usual habit of boasting exclusively in the Lord “does not exclude, but includes boasting in the Corinthians, precisely in this otherwise unwarranted and unexpected form. He boasts in them when they least deserve it, and hardly earn it.”²⁸⁶ Thus, we can understand his great relief and heightened joy when these Saints did not let him down. In their repentance and acceptance of him, God’s word through the Spirit had performed its perfect work in them and thus drove the full reconciliation of the parties, thus fulfilling the reality of this confidence.²⁸⁷

In 7:15, Paul gives credit for the success of Titus’s visit and the great amount of encouragement it generated to these Saints. He does so by relating, in some detail, the effect it had not only on the young disciple’s emotions but also on those of the Apostle himself. Both felt a deeper affection (σπλάγχνον, splangchnon) for these people, which affection Titus demonstrated “very abundantly.” Indeed, it left him with “a warm place in his heart for the Corinthians, thereby showing the sincerity of their acceptance of him as Paul’s delegate.”²⁸⁸ The basis of his joy was their quick obedience to the demands placed upon them. Whether these demands were in the harsh letter or generated by Titus himself the text does not say. What the text does make clear is that the Saints recognized and accepted Titus “with reverence and respect” (μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου, meta phobou kai tromou) as Paul’s envoy. The implication is that they also recognized that in doing so, they were, once again, in harmony with God (2:9).²⁸⁹

On this basis, Paul concludes this section of his letter (7:16) by repeating the compliment he expressed in 7:4. There he expressed the high degree of trust that he has that they will continue to support him even in the face of opposition, and thus he can proceed without fear.²⁹⁰

In sum, this section suggests that the harsh letter, coupled with Titus’s explication and defense of it, resulted in an exoneration of Paul that greatly exceeded expectations. The support and love the Saints now express for their Apostle stands as the springboard for the next section of Paul’s epistle. Therein he turns to the necessity of the Jerusalem collection and the important role these people can play in it. Thus, this 7:16 acts as a transition between the two sections,²⁹¹ the forepart (7:4–16) showing Paul’s return to full confidence in these people, and the latter part (chapters 8–9) revealing the opportunity he gives them to confirm their confidence in him through the very practical means of donating funds to meet the desperate needs of the Jerusalem Christians.²⁹²