Hope For Relational Reconciliation

2 Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one,we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said beforethat you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with greatboldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all ouraffliction, I am overflowing with joy.

5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflictedat every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast,comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfortwith which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, yourzeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I donot regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for awhile. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved intorepenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereasworldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced inyou, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, whatlonging, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocentin the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did thewrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that yourearnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we arecomforted.

And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because hisspirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I wasnot put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boastingbefore Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembersthe obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice,because I have complete confidence in you.