2Corinthians:7
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As these promises are ours ,
beloved ,
let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit ,
and perfect our holiness in the fear of God .
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Make room for me in your hearts !
I have wronged no man ,
I have ruined no man ,
I have defrauded no man .
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I am not saying this to blame you ,
for as I have already said ,
I hold you in my heart to live together and to die together .
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Great is my faith in you ;
great is my cheerful assurance in you .
I am filled with comfort ;
in spite of all my troubles ,
my heart is overflowing with joy .
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For even after I reached Macedonia ,
my flesh had no rest ,
but I was troubled on every hand .
Without were fights ;
within were ,
fears .
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But the God who comforts the down-hearted comforted me by the coming of Titus ,
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and not alone by his coming ,
but also by the comfort you had been to him .
For he told me of your eager longing ,
of your penitence ,
and of your zeal on my behalf ,
so that I was happier still .
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Even if I caused you pain by my letter ,
I do not regret ;
though I did regret it when I saw that my letter had caused you pain ,
even for a time .
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But now I am glad ;
not because you were pained ;
but because your pain led you to repentance .
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For your pain came from God ,
and so you took no harm from me .
For the pain which is from God works repentance leading to salvation ,
a repentance never to be regretted .
But the worlds pain works death .
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Note the results of this pain which God permitted ;
what earnestness it has called forth in you ,
what explanations ,
what indignation ,
what alarm ,
what longing ,
what fervor ,
what punishment of wrong .
In every way you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter .
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So then ,
even if I did write to you ,
it was not for the sake of the wrong-doer ,
or of him who had been wronged ,
but to make clear to yourselves in the sight of God your earnest care for me .
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This is what comforts me .
In addition to this comfort of mine ,
I have been made still happier by the happiness of Titus ;
because his spirit was refreshed by you all .
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Although I have been boasting a little to him about you ,
I have not been put to shame .
But as in every matter I have spoken the truth to you ,
so also my boast to Titus has been proved to be the truth .
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And his tender affection is all the greater toward you ,
when he calls to mind the obedience of you all ,
and the fear and trembling with which you received him .
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I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you .