(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Perfecting Holiness
- Therefore, having these promises beloved, we should cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, completing holiness in the reverent fear1“reverent fear” is one word in Greek. Its primary meaning is “fear”, but it can also mean “awe” or “reverence” depending on the context. (The Hebrew word for “fear” has the same range of meaning) Since both fear and reverence are appropriate toward God (and both were likely intended) both definitions were included. of God.
- Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we exploited no one.
- I don’t speak for your condemnation, for I have previously said that you’re in our hearts, for us to die together and to live together.
- My confidence in you is great; my boast on your behalf is great; I have been filled with comforting encouragement;2“comforting encouragement” is on word in Greek. It typically translated one or the other based on context, but the context here is slightly ambiguous so both were included. I exceedingly overflow with joy at all our affliction.
- For also, no one *had rest for our flesh at our coming into Macedonia. But we’re being hard pressed in everything; conflicts are outside, fears are within.
- But God – the One who comforts the lowly – comforted us by the arrival of Titus.
- And not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, reporting to us your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, in order for me to rejoice more.
- Because even if I grieved you in the letter, I don’t regret it (even if I was regretting it). For I see that that letter grieved you, even if only for a while.
- I rejoice now; not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved into repentance.3“repentance” this Greek word doesn’t primarily speak of remorse or guilt for wrong actions. Rather, it literally means to “think differently after” or to “reconsider”, with an assumed change in behavior. To both the Hebrews and 1st century Greeks/Romans, a change in mind was synonymous with a change in behavior; you couldn’t have the first without the second. All that meaning is captured by a single Greek word here. For you were grieved according to God’s will, so that through us you might suffer loss in nothing.
- For the grief according to God’s will produces repentance leading into salvation without regret; but the world’s grief produces death.
- For behold, this same thing – to be grieved according to God’s will – produced much diligence in you, much verbal defense, much indignation, much fear, much longing, much zeal, and much vindication. In everything, you proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
- So even though I wrote to you, it wasn’t for the man who did wrong, nor for the man who suffered wrong; but for your diligence to be revealed to you on our behalf in the sight of God.
- Because of this, we have been encouraged.4or “comforted” the Greek word here can mean either depending on the context. And by our encouragement, we rejoiced even more abundantly at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
- For if I have boasted anything to him about you, I wasn’t put to shame. But just as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boast to Titus became truth.
- And his affections toward you are abundant, remembering the obedience of you all, and how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.
- I rejoice that I’m confident in you in everything.
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