7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves 1 from everything that could defile the body 2 and the spirit, and thus accomplish 3 holiness out of reverence for God. 4 7:2 Make room for us in your hearts; 5 we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, 6 we have exploited no one. 7 7:3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before 8 that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. 9
7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride 10 on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; 11 I am overflowing with joy in the midst of 12 all our suffering. 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our body 13 had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way – struggles from the outside, fears from within. 7:6 But God, who encourages 14 the downhearted, encouraged 15 us by the arrival of Titus. 7:7 We were encouraged 16 not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement 17 you gave 18 him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, 19 your deep concern 20 for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.
1 tn Or “purify ourselves.”
2 tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”
3 tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.
4 tn Grk “in the fear of God.”
5 tn The phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
6 tn “We have ruined no one” may refer to financial loss (“we have caused no one to suffer financial loss”) but it may also refer to the undermining of faith (“we have corrupted no one’s faith,”). Both options are mentioned in L&N 20.23.
7 tn Or “we have taken advantage of no one.”
8 sn See 2 Cor 1:4-7.
9 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
10 tn Grk “great is my boasting.”
11 tn Or “comfort.”
12 tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.
13 tn Grk “our flesh.”
14 tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”
15 tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”
16 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”
17 tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”
18 tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.
19 tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”
20 tn Or “your zeal.”