SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:9
Ahora me gozo, no porque hayis sido contristados, sino porque fuisteis contristados para enmienda; porque habis sido contristados segn Dios, de tal manera que ninguna prdida padecisteis por nuestra parte.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 7:9
Verse 9. Ye sorrowed to repentance] Ye had such a sorrow as produced a complete change of mind and conduct. We see that a man may sorrow, and yet not repent. Made sorry after a godly manner] It was not a sorrow because ye were found out, and thus solemnly reprehended, but a sorrow because ye had sinned against God, and which consideration caused you to grieve more than the apprehension of any punishment.
Damage by us in nothing.] Your repentance prevented that exercise of my apostolic duty, which would have consigned your bodies to destruction, that your souls might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry , etc..] Their grief and sorrow, as a natural passion, was no matter or cause of joy to him; nor was this what he sought after, being what he could take no real pleasure in; for so far as that was a pain to them, it was a pain to him: but that ye sorrowed to repentance ; their sorrow issued in true evangelical repentance, and this was the ground of his rejoicing; for as there is joy in heaven among the angels, at the repentance of a sinner, so there is joy in the church below, among the saints and ministers of the Gospel, when either sinners are brought in, or backsliders returned by repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly sort ; what gave him so much joy and satisfaction was, that their sorrow was of the right sort; it was a godly sorrow, they sorrowed after; or according to God, according to the will of God, and for sin, as it was committed against him; it was a sorrow that God wrought in them: that ye might receive damage by us in nothing ; what added to his pleasure was, that his writing to them, and the effect it produced, had not been in the least detrimental to them; things had worked so kindly, and this sorrow had wrought in such a manner, that they were not hurt in their souls, but profited; nor in their church state, they had not lost one member by it; nay, the offender himself, which was the occasion of all this trouble, was recovered and restored by these means.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-11 - There were fightings without, or continual contentions with, an opposition from Jews and Gentiles; and there were fears within, an great concern for such as had embraced the Christian faith. But God comforts those who are cast down. We should look above and beyond all means and instruments, to God, as the author of all the consolation an good we enjoy. Sorrow according to the will of God, tending to the glory of God, and wrought by the Spirit of God, renders the hear humble, contrite, submissive, disposed to mortify every sin, and to walk in newness of life. And this repentance is connected with savin faith in Christ, and an interest in his atonement. There is a grea difference between this sorrow of a godly sort, and the sorrow of the world. The happy fruits of true repentance are mentioned. Where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be changed. It wrough indignation at sin, at themselves, at the tempter and his instruments It wrought a fear of watchfulness, and a cautious fear of sin. I wrought desire to be reconciled with God. It wrought zeal for duty, an against sin. It wrought revenge against sin and their own folly, by endeavours to make satisfaction for injuries done thereby. Dee humility before God, hatred of all sin, with faith in Christ, a ne heart and a new life, make repentance unto salvation. May the Lor bestow it on every one of us.
Greek Textus Receptus
νυν 3568 ADV χαιρω 5463 5719 V-PAI-1S ουχ 3756 PRT-N οτι 3754 CONJ ελυπηθητε 3076 5681 V-API-2P αλλ 235 CONJ οτι 3754 CONJ ελυπηθητε 3076 5681 V-API-2P εις 1519 PREP μετανοιαν 3341 N-ASF ελυπηθητε 3076 5681 V-API-2P γαρ 1063 CONJ κατα 2596 PREP θεον 2316 N-ASM ινα 2443 CONJ εν 1722 PREP μηδενι 3367 A-DSN ζημιωθητε 2210 5686 V-APS-2P εξ 1537 PREP ημων 2257 P-1GP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
9. Repentance (metanoian). See on the kindred verb repent, Matthew iii. 2, and compare on Matt. xxi. 29. Repentance is different from regret of ver. 8, indicating a moral change, as is shown by the next clause. Ye might receive damage (zhmiwqhte). Rev., might suffer loss. See on Matt. xvi. 26; Luke ix. 25. This somewhat obscure sentence means that the salutary moral results of the apostle's letter compensated for the sorrow which it caused. The epistle which won them to repentance was no damage to them.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:9 {Now I rejoice} (nun cairw). Now that Titus has come and told him the good news from Corinth (#2:12f.). this was the occasion of the noble outburst in #2:12-6:10. {Unto repentance} (eis metanoian). Note the sharp difference here between "sorrow" (lupe) which is merely another form of metamelomai (regret, remorse) and "repentance" (metanoia) or change of mind and life. It is a linguistic and theological tragedy that we have to go on using "repentance" for metanoia. But observe that the "sorrow" has led to "repentance" and was not Itself the repentance. {After a godly sort} (kata qeon). In God's way. "God's way as opposed to man's way and the devil's way" (Plummer). It was not mere sorrow, but a change in their attitude that counted. {That ye might suffer loss by us in nothing} (hina en medeni zemiwqete ex humwn). Purpose clause with hina and first aorist passive subjunctive of zemiow, old verb to suffer damage. See on Mt 16:26. this was God's intention and so he overruled their sorrow to good.
