2 Corinthians 7:11
9 And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us.
10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.
13 On account of this, we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
- KJV
- For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
- WEB
- For behold, this same thing, that you were grieved in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vindication! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.
- ASV
- For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter.
- DARBY
- For, behold, this same thing, your being grieved according to God, how much diligence it wrought in *you*, but [what] excusing [of yourselves], but [what] indignation, but [what] fear, but [what] ardent desire, but [what] zeal, but [what] vengeance: in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter.
- BLB
- For behold how much earnestness this same thing—to have been grieved according to God—produced in you⁺: but defense, but indignation, but fear, but longing, but zeal, but avenging! In everything, you⁺ commended yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
- ÅB
- For se, just dette at dere ble bedrøvet etter Guds sinn, hvilken iver det virket hos dere, ja forsvar, ja harme, ja frykt, ja lengsel, ja nidkjærhet, ja straff! I alt viste dere dere å være rene i den sak.
- OTB
- For se hvilken iver denne tingen—denne gudfryktige sorgen—har produsert i dere: hvilken rettferdiggjørelse av dere selv, hvilken harme, hvilken frykt, hvilken lengsel, hvilken iver, hvilken retting av feil! I alt viste dere dere å være uskyldige i saken.
- B1930
- For se, just dette at I blev bedrøvet efter Guds sinn, hvilken iver det virket hos eder, ja forsvar, ja harme, ja frykt, ja lengsel, ja nidkjærhet, ja straff! I alt viste I eder å være rene i den sak.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Romans 14:18
For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
Read in context1 Timothy 5:21–22
I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.
Read in context2 Timothy 2:15
Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.
Read in contextPsalms 2:11
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Read in contextEphesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Read in contextRevelation 3:19
Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
Read in context2 Corinthians 7:7
and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.
Read in context1 Corinthians 5:13
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
Read in context