2 Corinthians 7

2 Corinthians 7 is the seventh of the thirteen chapters of 2 Corinthians. Verse 1 concludes the exhortation carried over from chapter 6, namely the call to open wide one's heart and not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. From verse 5 onward, the account of Paul waiting for Titus, which broke off at 2:12–13, resumes.

Outline

• Verse 1: On the basis of the promises in the preceding chapter (6:16–18), Paul urges the readers to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
• Verses 2–4: Paul says he has wronged no one and defrauded no one, and he asks the believers to receive him into their hearts. He also says that in all his tribulation he is filled with comfort and overflowing with joy.
• Verses 5–7: In Macedonia Paul faced fightings without and fears within. At that time God brought Titus to him and comforted Paul through the news Titus brought of the Corinthians' earnest desire, mourning, and fervent mind toward him.
• Verses 8–12: Paul no longer regrets having grieved the believers by his letter, because that sorrow led to repentance. Godly sorrow works repentance leading to salvation, while the sorrow of the world works death. His purpose in writing was not for the sake of the one who had done the wrong or the one who had suffered it, but so that the believers' earnest care might be made manifest before God.
• Verses 13–16: Titus was refreshed and rejoiced because the believers received him with fear and trembling and obeyed. Paul's boasting about them before Titus also proved to be true.

Key Verses

• 2 Corinthians 7:1 "perfecting holiness" — frequently cited in discussions of the holy life of the Christian.
• 2 Corinthians 7:6 "God, that comforteth those that are cast down" — states that God's comfort came through a person (Titus).
• 2 Corinthians 7:10 "godly sorrow worketh repentance … but the sorrow of the world worketh death" — a verse that distinguishes genuine repentance from mere sorrow.

People and Places

• Paul: The apostle who wrote the letter.
• Titus: Paul's coworker, who had visited Corinth and brought back news of the believers.
• Corinth: The city in southern Greece where the church that received the letter was located.
• Macedonia: A region of northern Greece in which Philippi and Thessalonica are located.
• The one who did the wrong and the one who suffered it: The text does not name them.

Points for Reflection

• The "letter" in verse 8 is usually identified with the letter written "with many tears" mentioned in 2:4. Some regard this letter as 1 Corinthians, while others regard it as a separate letter that is no longer extant (the "tearful letter").
• Views also differ on "he that had done the wrong" in verse 12. The traditional view identifies him with the sexually immoral man of 1 Corinthians 5, while another view sees him as someone who opposed Paul or his companions. Both views read the verse together with 2:5–11. The text itself does not disclose the nature of the incident.
• Some scholars hold that 6:14–7:1 is a later interpolation, on the grounds that it interrupts the flow of the surrounding context. Many scholars, however, maintain that the passage stood in its present place from the beginning.
• Traditions place different emphases on "perfecting holiness" in verse 1. The Wesleyan tradition (Methodist, Holiness, and others) tends to read the verse in connection with the possibility of entire sanctification. The Reformed tradition tends to read it as describing the lifelong process of sanctification.

In the Korean Church

Verse 10 is frequently cited in sermons on repentance as a verse contrasting "godly sorrow" with "the sorrow of the world."