Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.

如今我欢喜，不是因你们忧愁，是因你们从忧愁中生出懊悔来。你们依着神的意思忧愁，凡事就不至于因我们受亏损了。

如今我欢喜，不是因你们曾忧愁，而是因忧愁导致你们的悔改。你们依着上帝的意思忧愁，凡事就不至于因我们受亏损了。

如今我欢喜，不是因你们曾忧愁，而是因忧愁导致你们的悔改。你们依着神的意思忧愁，凡事就不至于因我们受亏损了。

现在我很欢喜，当然不是因为你们忧伤而欢喜，而是看见你们因忧伤而悔改了。因为你们这样忧伤合乎上帝的心意，使你们不致因我们而受到任何损失。

现在我快乐，不是因为你们忧伤，而是因为你们的忧伤带来了悔改。你们依照神的意思忧伤，凡事就不会因我们受到亏损。

现在我还是感到欢喜。这并不是因为你们忧伤，而是因为你们忧伤以至于悔改。实际上，你们按神的意思忧伤，使你们在任何事上都不会因我们而受到损失；

如今我歡喜，不是因你們憂愁，是因你們從憂愁中生出懊悔來。你們依着神的意思憂愁，凡事就不至於因我們受虧損了。

如今我歡喜，不是因你們曾憂愁，而是因憂愁導致你們的悔改。你們依着上帝的意思憂愁，凡事就不至於因我們受虧損了。

如今我歡喜，不是因你們曾憂愁，而是因憂愁導致你們的悔改。你們依着神的意思憂愁，凡事就不至於因我們受虧損了。

現在我很歡喜，當然不是因為你們憂傷而歡喜，而是看見你們因憂傷而悔改了。因為你們這樣憂傷合乎上帝的心意，使你們不致因我們而受到任何損失。

現在我快樂，不是因為你們憂傷，而是因為你們的憂傷帶來了悔改。你們依照神的意思憂傷，凡事就不會因我們受到虧損。

如今我歡喜，倒不是因為你們憂愁，乃是因為你們憂愁到懊悔。你們依順着上帝而憂愁，就不至於在甚麼事上因我們而有所虧損了。

現在我還是感到歡喜。這並不是因為你們憂傷，而是因為你們憂傷以至於悔改。實際上，你們按神的意思憂傷，使你們在任何事上都不會因我們而受到損失；

今我喜、非因爾憂、乃因爾憂而生改悔、蓋爾憂乃依上帝旨、致爾無所受損於我儕、

今吾喜、非因爾憂、乃因爾憂而生悔改、蓋爾憂、遵上帝道而憂、明我不虧爾、

今我喜、非因爾憂、乃因爾憂而生悔、蓋爾憂遵天主之旨而憂、則不致因我而有損、

吾今則樂甚；非樂爾等之憂戚、乃樂爾等因憂戚而致悔改耳。爾等之憂戚、既允合天主聖意、則固未因吾人而受損也。

yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.

Now I am happy. I’m not happy because you were made sad. I’m happy because your sadness led you to turn away from your sins. You became sad just as God wanted you to. So you were not hurt in any way by us.

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.

I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.

I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing.

Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us.

I now rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.

I have heard Israel saying,‘ You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’“ Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord.“ I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.

I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike— the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.I’m not trying to frighten you by my letters.For some say,“ Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”

For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth.We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

And he said,“ Yes, go, and say to this people,‘ Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.”Then I said,“ Lord, how long will this go on?” And he replied,“ Until their towns are empty, their houses are deserted, and the whole country is a wasteland;

“ When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself,‘ At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!I will go home to my father and say,“ Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’“ So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.His son said to him,‘ Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’“ But his father said to the servants,‘ Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!

We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.

We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.

“ Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.

But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.

In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”