| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. | 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. |
| 2Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. | 2Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, we have exploited no one. |
| 3I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. | 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. |
| 4Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. | 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. |
| 5For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. | 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. |
| 6Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, | 6But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. |
| 7and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. | 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. |
| 8For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. | 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). |
| 9Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. | 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. |
| 10For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. | 10For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. |
| 11For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. | 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. |
| 12Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. | 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. |
| 13Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. | 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. |
| 14For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. | 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. |
| 15And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. | 15And his affection for you is much greater when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. |
| 16Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything. | 16I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you. |
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