2 Corinthians 7:10
New International Version
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

New Living Translation
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

English Standard Version
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Berean Standard Bible
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Berean Literal Bible
For grief according to God produces repentance to salvation without regret; but the world's grief produces death.

King James Bible
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

New King James Version
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

New American Standard Bible
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

NASB 1995
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

NASB 1977
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Legacy Standard Bible
For godly sorrow produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world brings about death.

Amplified Bible
For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.

Christian Standard Bible
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.

American Standard Version
For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Contemporary English Version
When God makes you feel sorry enough to turn to him and be saved, you don't have anything to feel bad about. But when this world makes you feel sorry, it can cause your death.

English Revised Version
For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only death.

Good News Translation
For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation--and there is no regret in that! But sadness that is merely human causes death.

International Standard Version
For having sorrow in a godly way results in repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets. But the sorrow of the world produces death.

Majority Standard Bible
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

NET Bible
For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.

New Heart English Bible
For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.

Webster's Bible Translation
For godly sorrow worketh penitence to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Weymouth New Testament
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, a repentance not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world finally produces death.

World English Bible
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for sorrow toward God works conversion to salvation without regret, and the sorrow of the world works death,

Berean Literal Bible
For grief according to God produces repentance to salvation without regret; but the world's grief produces death.

Young's Literal Translation
for the sorrow toward God reformation to salvation not to be repented of doth work, and the sorrow of the world doth work death,

Smith's Literal Translation
For grief according to God works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but grief of the world works death.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For the sorrow that is according to God worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the sorrow that is according to God accomplishes a repentance which is steadfast unto salvation. But the sorrow that is of the world accomplishes death.

New American Bible
For godly sorrow produces a salutary repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.

New Revised Standard Version
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For sorrow over the things of God causes enduring repentance of the soul, and brings one to life: but sorrow over the things of the world causes death.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For grief that is for God's sake produces a remorse of the soul which does not reverse itself and restores to life, but the grief of the world produces death.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For godly sorrow works repentance not to be regretted, which leads to salvation: but the sorrow of the world works death.

Godbey New Testament
For a godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works out death.

Haweis New Testament
For sorrow of a godly sort worketh repentance unto salvation never to be repented of, but worldly sorrow worketh death.

Mace New Testament
for religious sorrow produces that salutary repentance, which we never regret: but worldly sorrow preys upon life.

Weymouth New Testament
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, a repentance not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world finally produces death.

Worrell New Testament
For godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world works death.

Worsley New Testament
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Joy in the Corinthians
9And 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. 11Consider 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.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Acts 11:18
When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

Romans 6:21-23
What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death. / But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. / For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:10
For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

2 Timothy 2:25
He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

James 4:9-10
Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. / Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 32:5
Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 66:2
Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Ezekiel 18:30-32
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. / Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? / For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Jonah 3:5-10
And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. / When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. / Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink. ...


Treasury of Scripture

For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death.

repentance.

2 Corinthians 12:21
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

2 Samuel 12:13
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

1 Kings 8:47-50
Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; …

the sorrow.

Genesis 4:13-15
And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear…

Genesis 30:1
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

1 Samuel 30:6
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Jump to Previous
Cause Change Death Finally Gives Godly Grief Leading Produces Reformation Regret Regretted Repentance Repented Salvation Sorrow Work Worketh Works World Worldly
Jump to Next
Cause Change Death Finally Gives Godly Grief Leading Produces Reformation Regret Regretted Repentance Repented Salvation Sorrow Work Worketh Works World Worldly
2 Corinthians 7
1. He proceeds in exhorting them to purity of life;
2. and to bear him like affection as he does to them.
3. Whereof lest he might seem to doubt, he declares what comfort he took in his afflictions
6. by the report which Titus gave of their godly sorrow,
8. which his former epistle had wrought in them;
13. and of their loving-kindness and obedience toward Titus, answerable to his former boastings of them.














Godly sorrow
The phrase "Godly sorrow" refers to a type of grief or remorse that is aligned with God's will and character. In the Greek, the word for "sorrow" is "λύπη" (lypē), which can mean pain, grief, or affliction. This sorrow is not merely an emotional response but a deep, spiritual conviction that leads one to recognize their sinfulness in light of God's holiness. Historically, this concept is rooted in the Old Testament, where true repentance was often accompanied by mourning and lamentation over sin (e.g., Joel 2:12-13). Godly sorrow is transformative, prompting a change of heart and behavior.

brings repentance
The Greek word for "repentance" is "μετάνοια" (metanoia), which means a change of mind or a turning away from sin. This is not just a superficial change but a profound transformation of one's entire being. In the biblical context, repentance is a recurring theme, emphasized by prophets and apostles alike as essential for reconciliation with God. It involves acknowledging one's sins, seeking forgiveness, and committing to a new path aligned with God's commandments.

that leads to salvation
Salvation, or "σωτηρία" (sōtēria) in Greek, signifies deliverance from sin and its consequences. In the New Testament, salvation is often depicted as a gift from God, made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This phrase underscores the idea that true repentance, born out of godly sorrow, is a necessary step toward receiving this divine gift. It is a journey from spiritual death to eternal life, a central tenet of Christian faith.

without regret
The term "regret" here is translated from the Greek "ἀμεταμέλητος" (ametamelētos), meaning not to be repented of or without remorse. This suggests that the repentance leading to salvation is so complete and fulfilling that it leaves no room for regret. It is a liberation from the past, allowing believers to move forward in their spiritual journey with confidence and joy, assured of their standing before God.

but worldly sorrow
"Worldly sorrow" contrasts sharply with godly sorrow. The Greek word "κόσμος" (kosmos) for "worldly" refers to the secular, fallen world system that is often in opposition to God's kingdom. This type of sorrow is characterized by regret over the consequences of sin rather than the sin itself. It is self-centered and lacks the transformative power of godly sorrow. Historically, this can be seen in figures like Judas Iscariot, whose remorse led to despair rather than redemption.

brings death
The word "death" in Greek is "θάνατος" (thanatos), which can refer to both physical and spiritual death. In this context, it signifies the ultimate separation from God, the source of life. Worldly sorrow, being devoid of true repentance, leads to spiritual death because it fails to address the root of sin. This serves as a solemn warning of the consequences of unrepentant sin, emphasizing the necessity of turning to God with a contrite heart.

(10) For godly sorrow.--Again we note the needless variation which is the easily besetting sin of the English version. Better, as before, the sorrow which is after the will of God.

Repentance to salvation not to be repented of.--Here the English effaces a distinction in the original. (See Note on Matthew 27:3,) Better, repentance unto salvation, giving no matter for regret. The adjective, or adjectival phrase, may qualify either "repentance" or "salvation." The latter seems preferable.

But the sorrow of the world worketh death.--As contrasted with "salvation," death must be taken in its widest sense. The mere sorrow of the world leads only to remorse and despair, to the death of a broken heart, possibly to suicide; in any case, to the loss of the true eternal life.

Verse 10. - For godly sorrow, etc. "For the sorrow Which is according to God worketh out a repentance unto salvation which bringeth no regret." Sin causes regret, remorse, that sort of repentance (metomeleia) which is merely an unavailing rebellion against the inevitable consequences of misdoing; but the sorrow of self-reproach which follows true repentance (metanoia, change of mind) is never followed by regret. Some take "not to be regretted" with "salvation," but it is a very unsuitable adjective to that substantive. The sorrow of the world. Here sorrow for the loss, or disappointment, or shame, or ruin, or sickness caused by sin; such as the false repentance of Cain, Saul, Ahithophel, Judas, etc. Death. Moral and spiritual death always, and sometimes physical death, and always - unless it is followed by true repentance - eternal death, which is the opposite of salvation (Romans 5:21).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Godly
Θεὸν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

sorrow
λύπη (lypē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3077: Pain, grief, sorrow, affliction. Apparently a primary word; sadness.

brings
ἐργάζεται (ergazetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2038: To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor.

repentance
μετάνοιαν (metanoian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3341: From metanoeo; compunction; by implication, reversal (another's) decision).

that leads to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

salvation
σωτηρίαν (sōtērian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4991: Feminine of a derivative of soter as noun; rescue or safety.

without regret,
ἀμεταμέλητον (ametamelēton)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 278: Not to be repented of, about which no change of mind can take place, not affected by change of mind. Irrevocable.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

worldly
κόσμου (kosmou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).

sorrow
λύπη (lypē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3077: Pain, grief, sorrow, affliction. Apparently a primary word; sadness.

brings
κατεργάζεται (katergazetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2716: From kata and ergazomai; to work fully, i.e. Accomplish; by implication, to finish, fashion.

death.
θάνατον (thanaton)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 7:9
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