1Now then, beloved, since we have these promises, we should purge ourselves from every defilement of the flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2Receive us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have defrauded no one. 3I do not say this to condemn you because I have said before that you are in our hearts--to die together and to live together. 4Great is my boldness toward you, and great is my boasting in regard to you. I have been filled with encouragement. I am overflowing with joy at all our tribulations.

5For indeed, after we came into Macedonia, our flesh did not have any rest, but we were oppressed in every way-- without were contentions, and within were fears. 6But God, Who encourages those who are heavy-hearted, encouraged us by the coming of Titus; 7And not only by his coming to us, but also by the encouragement with which he was comforted concerning you, relating to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; therefore I rejoiced all the more. 8For if I caused you to sorrow by the epistle, I do not repent, even if I did regret it at first, because I see that that epistle caused you to sorrow for only a short time. 9And so I rejoice--not because you were caused to sorrow, but because you sorrowed unto repentance; for you sorrowed in a godly manner, so that you were not injured by us in any way. 10For sorrow unto repentance before God works out salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world works out death. 11For see how this very thing--your personal sorrow before God--brought about such earnestness in you! And, what a defense, and what indignation, and fear, and vehement desire, and zeal, and vengeance! In every way you have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter. 12Now when I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness toward us might be manifested for your sakes before God. 13Therefore, we were comforted by your encouragement, and we rejoiced all the more abundantly at Titus' joy, because his spirit had been renewed by all of you. 14For if I have boasted anything to him about you, I was not ashamed. But as we spoke all things in truth to you, so also our boasting of you to Titus became truth; 15And his deep affection for you is even greater, as he recalls the obedience of all of you, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.