1 So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, j let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, k bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. l
Joy and Repentance
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, corrupted m no one, taken advantage of no one. 3 I don’t say this to condemn you, since I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am very frank with you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in all our afflictions.
5 In fact, when we came into Macedonia, n we had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts o on the outside, fears p within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, q comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 and not only by his arrival but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal r for me, so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For even if I grieved you with my letter, s I don’t regret it. And if I regretted it—since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a while— 9 I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death. t 11 For consider how much diligence this very thing—this grieving as God wills—has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure u in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your devotion to us might be made plain to you in the sight of God. 13 For this reason we have been comforted.
In addition to our own comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titus v had, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you. 14 For if I have made any boast to him about you, I have not been disappointed; but as I have spoken everything to you in truth, w so our boasting to Titus has also turned out to be the truth. 15 And his affection toward you is even greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you, and how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you.
6:16b–7:1. The fifth question also affords Paul the opportunity to reiterate that, together, Christians form the temple of the living God, a truth that has brought to fulfillment the divine vow that was made at various points throughout the history of Israel (6:16b; cf. Ex 25:8; 29:45; Lv 26:11–12; 1 Kg 6:13; Jr 32:38; Ezk 37:26–27). In light of this, Paul, adapting the words of Is 52:11 and Ezk 20:34, 41, urges the Corinthians to separate themselves from unbelievers and from practices that involve the use of unclean things (6:17; his words do not refer to the separations inaugurated by Christians because of doctrinal differences). As a conclusion to this series of scriptural citations, Paul returns to the thought with which he began and underlines his principal point in personal terms. As sons and daughters (the reference to women here is noteworthy and probably reflects a deliberate attempt to speak to a congregation in which women played an active, vital, and respected part [1 Co 7:3–4; 11:5]), Christians belong in association with the Lord almighty, who has promised to be a Father to each of them (6:18). Simultaneously, it is necessary for all who possess such promises to keep both body and spirit free from those associations that undermine their central commitment to the holiness that shows their “fear of God” (7:1).
7:2–4. Having urged upon the church actions appropriate to reconciliation, Paul concludes his appeal with a reiteration of his own readiness for reconciliation. What he has said has been to show, contrary apparently to the claims of his detractors, that no one has been wronged, corrupted, or “taken advantage of” by Paul’s ministry (7:2). Furthermore, in making an attempt at reconciliation that urges a change in the associations of some within the church, it has not been Paul’s intent to condemn (7:3). Instead, as one devoted to their service, Paul has sought to convey his confidence and pride in their ability to conform themselves to his apostolic counsel (7:4).
B. A new basis for appeal (7:5–16). 7:5–10. In this section Paul resumes the autobiographical narrative that was broken off in 2:13 to allow for the inclusion of the reflective apologetic of 2:14–5:19 and the appeals for reconciliation found in 5:20–7:4. The break in the narrative may reflect Paul’s desire, once he heard the comforting news Titus brought back from Corinth, to convey to the church both his immediate and his considered reaction to their new attitude toward him. In any case, he resumes the story as he left off, with himself in Macedonia struggling against external adversities and inner fears (7:5).
7:11–16. Quite to the contrary, the sorrow that was divinely inspired had produced an eagerness within the majority at Corinth to clear themselves and an eagerness within Paul to recognize the innocence that belonged to the majority of those within the church (7:11–13). Moreover, Titus himself had been uplifted and had become enthusiastic in his affection for the congregation (7:14–15). Such an unexpectedly rich outcome from a letter sent with such hesitation was indeed an occasion for gladness and for an expression of renewed confidence in the church’s ability to pay heed to future apostolic appeals (7:16).