2 Corinthians 7:10

2 Corinthians 7:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
• New International Version (NIV)Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Context of 2 Corinthians 7:10

8For even if I made you sad by my letter, I do not regret having written it (even though I did regret it, for I see that my letter made you sad, though only for a short time). 9Now 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. For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. 11For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf before God.

2 Corinthians 7:10 word by word

ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον ἐργάζεται, ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ·κατάkata · according toG2596
• godlyθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• sorrowλύπηlupē · griefG3077
• workethκατεργάζομαιkatergazomai · to workout/produceG2716
• repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• salvationσωτηρίαsōtēria · salvationG4991
• not to be repented ofἀμεταμέλητοςametamelētos · irrevocableG278
• butδέde · thenG1161
• of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 7:10

• 2 Corinthians 12:21I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.
• 2 Samuel 12:13Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die.
• 1 Kings 8:47When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray; we have done evil.’
• Job 33:27That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”
• Ezekiel 7:16Their survivors will escape to the mountains and become like doves of the valleys; all of them will moan – each one for his iniquity.
• Ezekiel 18:27When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.
• Jonah 3:8Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do.
• Matthew 21:28“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
• Matthew 26:75Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
• Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
• Luke 18:13The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’
• Acts 3:19Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,
• Acts 11:18When they heard this, they ceased their objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance that leads to life even to the Gentiles.”
• 2 Timothy 2:25correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth
• Genesis 4:13Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure!

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 7:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10For godly sorrow - That which has the breach of God's holy law for its object. Worketh repentance - A thorough change of mind unto salvation, because the person who feels it cannot rest till he finds pardon through the mercy of God. But the sorrow of the world worketh death - Sorrow for lost goods, lost friends, death of relatives, etc., when it is poignant and deep, produces diseases, increases those that already exist, and often leads men to lay…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For godly sorrow - “Sorrow according to God” ( ̔ ̀ ̀ ̀ ́ Hē gar kata Theon lupē). That is, such sorrow as has respect to God, or is according to his will, or as leads the soul to him. This is a very important expression in regard to true repentance, and shows the exact nature of that sorrow which is connected with a return to God. The phrase may be regarded as implying the following things: (1) Such sorrow as God approves, or such as is suitable to. or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-11Verses 5-11 There were fightings without, or continual contentions with, and opposition from Jews and Gentiles; and there were fears within, and 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 and good we enjoy. Sorrow according to the will of God, tending to the glory of God, and wrought by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10There are two types of sorrow: Worldly sorrow, which does not include repentance, leads to spiritual death (for example, see Matthew 27:3–6; Hebrews 12:16–17). Sorrow that turns us away from sin leads to salvation, as demonstrated when the church in Corinth responded positively to Paul's criticism.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. worketh ... worketh--In the best Greek reading the translation is, "worketh (simply) ... worketh out." "Sorrow" is not repentance, but, where it is "godly," "worketh" it; that is, contributes or tends to it (the same Greek word is in Ro 13:10). The "sorrow of the world" (that is, such as is felt by the worldly) "worketh out," as its result at last, (eternal) death (the same Greek verb is in 2Co 4:17; also see on 2Co 4:17). repentance ... not to be…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 7:10

• Repentance
• Righteousness
• Salvation
• Sorrow
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Boldness
• Clearing
• Confidence
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Defraud
• Fighting
• Filthiness
• Indignation
• Repentance
• Salvation

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings