7:1 {These promises} (tautas tas epaggelias). So many and so precious (#2Pe 2:4 epaggelmata; #Heb 11:39f.). {Let us cleanse ourselves} (kaqariswmen heautous). Old Greek used kaqairw (in N.T. only in #Joh 15:2, to prune). In _Koin‚_ kaqarizw occurs in inscriptions for ceremonial cleansing (Deissmann, _Bible Studies_, p. 216f.). Paul includes himself in this volitive aorist subjunctive. {From all defilement} (apo pantos molusmou). Ablative alone would have done, but with apo it is plainer as in #Heb 9:14. molusmos is a late word from molunw, to stain (see on ¯1Co 8:7), to pollute. In the LXX, Plutarch, Josephus. It includes all sorts of filthiness, physical, moral, mental, ceremonial, "of flesh and spirit." Missionaries in China and India can appreciate the atmosphere of pollution in Corinth, for instance. {Perfecting holiness} (epitelountes hagiosunen). Not merely negative goodness (cleansing), but aggressive and progressive (present tense of epitelew) holiness, not a sudden attainment of complete holiness, but a continuous process (#1Th 3:13; Ro 1:4; 1:6).

7:2 {Open your hearts to us} (cwresate hemas). Old verb (from cwros, place), to leave a space, to make a space for, and transitive here as in #Mt 19:11. He wishes no further stenocwria, tightness of heart, in them (#6:12). "Make room for us in your hearts." He makes this plea to all, even the stubborn minority. {We wronged no man} (oudena edikesamen). A thing that every preacher ought to be able to say. Cf. #4:2; 1Th 2:3; Ac 20:26f. {We corrupted no man} (oudena efqeiramen). We ruined no one. "It may refer to money, or morals, or doctrine" (Plummer). He is answering the Judaizers. {We took advantage of no man} (oudena epleonektesamen). That charge was made in Thessalonica (#1Th 4:6) which see for this late verb and also on ¯2Co 2:11. He got the best of (note pleon more in the root) no one in any evil way.

7:3 {Not to condemn you} (pros katakrisin ou). "Not for condemnation." Late word from katakrinw, found in Vettius Valens, and here only in N.T. {To die together and live together} (eis to sunapoqanein kai sunzein). "For the dying together (second aorist ingressive active infinitive of sunapothnˆsk") and living together (present active infinitive)." One article (to) with both infinitives. You are in our hearts to share death and life.

7:4 {I overflow with joy in all our affliction} (huperperisseuomai tei carai epi pasei tei qliyei hemwn). A thoroughly Pauline sentiment. perisseuw means to overflow, as we have seen. huper-perisseuw (late word, so far only here and Byzantine writers) is to have a regular flood. Vulgate _superabundo_.

7:5 {When we had come} (elqontwn hemwn). Genitive absolute with second aorist active participle of ercomai. Paul now returns to the incident mentioned in #2:12 before the long digression on the glory of the ministry. {Had no relief} (oudemian esceken anesin). Perfect active indicative precisely as in #2:13 which see, "has had no relief" (dramatic perfect). {Afflicted} (qlibomenoi). Present passive participle of qlibw as in #4:8, but with anacoluthon, for the nominative case agrees not with the genitive hemwn nor with the accusative hemas in verse #6. It is used as if a principal verb as in #9:11; 11:6; Ro 12:16 (Moulton, _Prolegomena_, p. 182; Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 1132-35). {Without were fightings} (exwqen macai). Asyndeton and no copula, a parenthesis also in structure. Perhaps pagan adversaries in Macedonia (cf. #1Co 15:32). {Within were fears} (eswqen foboi). Same construction. "Mental perturbations" (Augustine) as in #11:28.

7:6 {Cormforteth} (parakalwn). See on ¯1:3-7 for this word. {The lowly} (tous tapeinous). See on ¯Mt 11:29. Literally, low on the ground in old sense (#Eze 17:24). Low in condition as here; #Jas 1:9. In #2Co 10:1 regarded as abject. In this sense in papyri. "Humility as a sovereign grace is the creation of Christianity" (Gladstone, _Life_, iii, p. 466). {By the coming} (en tei parousiai). Same use of parousia as in #1Co 16:7 which see. See also #2Co 7:7; 10:10.

7:7 {Wherewith} (hei). Either locative case with preceding en or instrumental of the relative with parekleqe (first aorist passive indicative). "The manner in which Paul, so to speak, _fondles_ this word (parakalew) is most beautiful" (Vincent). {In you} (ef' humin). Over you, upon you. {Your longing} (ten humwn epipoqesin). Late word from epipoqew (epi, directive, longing towards, yearning). Only here in N.T. {Mourning} (odurmon). Old word from oduromai, to mourn. Only here in N.T. {So that I rejoiced yet more} (hwste me mallon carenai). Result expressed by hwste and the second aorist passive infinitive of cairw with accusative of general reference.

7:8 {Though} (ei kai). If also. Paul treats it as a fact. {With my epistle} (en tei epistolei). The one referred to in #2:3f. {I do not regret it} (ou metamelomai). this verb really means "repent" (be sorry again) which meaning we have transferred to metanoew, to change one's mind (not to be sorry at all). See #Mt 21:30; 27:3 for the verb metamelomai, to be sorry, to regret as here. Paul is now glad that he made them sorry. {Though I did regret} (ei kai metemelomen). Imperfect indicative in the concessive clause. I was in a regretful mood at first. {For I see} (blepw gar). A parenthetical explanation of his present joy in their sorrow. B D do not have gar. The Latin Vulgate has _videns_ (seeing) for blepwn. {For a season} (pros h"ran). Cf. #1Th 2:17. It was only "for an hour."

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.

7:10 {For godly sorrow} (he gar kata qeon lupe). "For the sorrow according to God" (God's ideal, verse #9). {Worketh repentance unto salvation a repentance without regret} (metanoian eis swterian ametameleton ergazetai). this clause alone should have prevented the confusion between mere "sorrow" (lupe) as indicated in metamelomai, to regret (to be sorry again) and "change of mind and life" as shown by metanoian (metanoew) and wrongly translated "repentance." The sorrow according to God does work this "change of mind and life" unto salvation, a change "not to be regretted" (ametameleton, an old verbal adjective of metamelomai and a privative, but here alone in N.T.). It agrees with metanoian, not swterian. {But the sorrow of the world} (he de tou kosmou lupe). In contrast, the kind of sorrow that the world has, grief "for failure, not for sin" (Bernard), for the results as seen in Cain, Esau (his tears!), and Judas (remorse, metemelˆthˆ). Works out (perfective use of kat-) death in the end.

7:11 { this selfsame thing} (auto touto). " this very thing," "the being made sorry according to God" (to kata qeon lupeqenai, articular first aorist passive infinitive with which auto touto agrees and the proleptic subject of the verb kateirgasato. {Earnest care} (spouden). Diligence, from speudw, to hasten. Cf. #Ro 12:11. {Yea} (alla). Not adversative use of alla, but copulative as is common (half dozen examples here). {Clearing of yourselves} (apologia). In the old notion of apologia (self-vindication, self-defence) as in #1Pe 3:15. {Indignation} (aganaktesin). Old word, only here in N.T. From aganakteo (#Mr 10:14, etc.). {Avenging} (ekdikesin). Late word from ekdikew, to avenge, to do justice (#Lu 18:5; 21:22), vindication from wrong as in #Lu 18:7, to secure punishment (#1Pe 2:14). {Pure} (hagnous). Kin to hagios (hazw, to reverence), immaculate.

7:12 {But that your earnest care for us might be made manifest} (all' heineken tou fanerwqenai ten spouden humwn ten huper hemwn). So the correct text, not "our care for you." Easy to interchange Greek humwn (your) and hemwn (our). Usual construction with preposition heneken and genitive of articular infinitive with accusative of general reference.

7:13 {We joyed the more exceedingly} (perissoterws mallon ecaremen). Double comparative (pleonastic use of mallon, more, with perissoterws, more abundantly) as is common in the _Koin‚_ (#Mr 7:36; Php 1:23). {For the joy of Titus} (epi tei carai titou). On the basis of (epi) the joy of Titus who was proud of the outcome of his labors in Corinth. {Hath been refreshed} (anapepautai). Perfect passive indicative of anapauw. Cf. #1Co 16:18 for this striking verb.

7:14 {If--I have gloried} (ei--kekaucemai). Condition of first class. On this verb see #1Co 3:21; 2Co 5:12. {I was not put to shame} (ou kateiscunqen). First aorist passive indicative of kataiscunw. Paul had assured Titus, who hesitated to go after the failure of Timothy, that the Corinthians were sound at bottom and would come round all right if handled properly. Paul's joy is equal to that of Titus. {In truth} (en aleqeiai). In the sharp letter as well as in I Corinthians. He had not hesitated to speak plainly of their sins. {Our glorying before Titus} (he kaucesis epi titou). The two things were not inconsistent and were not contradictory as the outcome proved.

7:15 {Whilst he remembereth} (anamimneskomenou). Present middle participle of anamimneskw, to remind, in the genitive case agreeing with autou (his, of him). {The obedience of you all} (ten pantwn humwn hupakouen). A remarkable statement of the complete victory of Titus in spite of a stubborn minority still opposing Paul. {With fear and trembling} (meta fobou kai tromou). He had brought a stern message (#1Co 5:5) and they had trembled at the words of Titus (cf. #Eph 6:5; Php 2:12). Paul had himself come to the Corinthians at first with a nervous dread (#1Co 2:3).