| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God. | 1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. |
| 2Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, we have exploited no one. | 2Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. |
| 3I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. | 3I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. |
| 4I have great confidence in you; I take great pride on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in the midst of all our suffering. | 4I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. |
| 5For even when we came into Macedonia, our body had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way--struggles from the outside, fears from within. | 5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. |
| 6But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. | 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, |
| 7We were encouraged not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement you gave him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your deep concern for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever. | 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. |
| 8For even if I made you sad by my letter, I do not regret having written it (even though I did regret it, for I see that my letter made you sad, though only for a short time). | 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- |
| 9Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. | 9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. |
| 10For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. | 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. |
| 11For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. | 11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. |
| 12So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf before God. | 12So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. |
| 13Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit. | 13By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. |
| 14For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus about you has proved true as well. | 14I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. |
| 15And his affection for you is much greater when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. | 15And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. |
| 16I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you. | 16I am glad I can have complete confidence in you. |
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