February 18, 2026
2 Corinthians 7 ESV
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 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. For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who 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. Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.
Discussion Questions:
Up to now Paul has been trying to establish with the Corinthian brethren why they should have confidence in him personally and in his ministry. Now Paul states his confidence in the
Corinthian brethren so that they can partner together in the Lord’s work.
1. What are the reasons for this confidence that Paul gives in verses 1-12?
2. What was Titus’s assessment of the situation and why does Paul mention it in verses 13-16?
Discussion Summary:
The brethren in Corinth had many issues that needed to be dealt with. There were problems with their meetings, problems with their leaders, problems with how to live a Christian life, and problems with immorality. To resolve these issues, Paul had sent a letter and then visited Corinth with little result. He then sent a harshly worded letter which was delivered by Titus. This finally resulted in the brethren acknowledging to Paul, that they had been in the wrong, that they had a desire to change, and the steps they were taking to correct their behaviour and restore order. The brethren in Corinth also recognized that they had grown distant and estranged from the Apostle Paul. This caused them sadness and they wanted to restore their affections and be fully united in their hearts. Finally the Corinthian brethren were responding properly to correction (Psalm 141:5).
Titus would be returning to Corinth with this very letter. It was important then that Titus confirm to the Corinthian brethren that he felt the same way as Paul. Both had full confidence in the brethren. Both rejoiced in their response (Luke 15:7).
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