2Cor 7:6-16 | ESV | STEP | But God , who comforts the downcast , comforted us by the coming of Titus ,

2 Corinthians 7:6-16

6 But ^aGod, who comforts the downcast, ^bcomforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For ^ceven if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though ^dI did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but ^ebecause you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For ^fgodly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas ^gworldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, ^hwhat zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one ⁱwho did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore ^jwe are comforted.

And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit ^khas been refreshed by you all. 14 For ^lwhatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you ^mwas true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers ⁿthe obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete ^oconfidence in you.