1 My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him.
The Church Makes Paul Happy
2 Make a place for us in your hearts! We haven't mistreated or hurt anyone. We haven't cheated anyone. 3 I am not saying this to be hard on you. But, as I have said before, you will always be in our thoughts, whether we live or die. 4 I trust you completely. I am always proud of you, and I am greatly encouraged. In all my trouble I am still very happy.
5 After we came to Macedonia, we didn't have any chance to rest. We were faced with all kinds of problems. We were troubled by enemies and troubled by fears. 6 But God cheers up people in need, and this is what he did when he sent Titus to us. 7 Of course, we were glad to see Titus, but what really made us glad is the way you cheered him up. He told how sorry you were and how concerned you were about me. And this made me even happier.
8 I don't feel bad anymore, even though my letter hurt your feelings. I did feel bad at first, but I don't now. I know that the letter hurt you for a while. 9 Now I am happy, but not because I hurt your feelings. It is because God used your hurt feelings to make you turn back to him, and none of you were harmed by us. 10 When God makes you feel sorry enough to turn to him and be saved, you don't have anything to feel bad about. But when this world makes you feel sorry, it can cause your death.
11 Just look what God has done by making you feel sorry! You sincerely want to prove you are innocent. You are angry. You are shocked. You are eager to see that justice is done. You have proved that you were completely right in this matter. 12 When I wrote you, it wasn't to accuse the one who was wrong or to take up for the one who was hurt. I wrote, so God would show you how much you do care for us. 13 And we were greatly encouraged.
Although we were encouraged, we felt even better when we saw how happy Titus was, because you had shown he had nothing to worry about. 14 We had told him how much we thought of you, and you did not disappoint us. Just as we have always told you the truth, so everything we told him about you has also proved to be true. 15 Titus loves all of you very much, especially when he remembers how you obeyed him and how you trembled with fear when you welcomed him. 16 It makes me really glad to know I can depend on you.
Pāvila prieks par draudzes grēku nožēlu
1 Kad nu mums, mīļotie, ir tādi apsolījumi, šķīstīsim sevi no visiem miesas un gara netīrumiem, lai sasniegtu svētumu Dieva bijībā. 2 Atvēliet savās sirdīs vietu mums; mēs neesam nevienam ļaunu darījuši, nevienu neesam samaitājuši, nevienu neesam ļaunprātīgi izmantojuši. 3 Es nerunāju, lai notiesātu; jo es jau iepriekš sacīju, ka jūs esat mūsu sirdīs tālab, lai mēs kopā mirtu un kopā būtu dzīvi. 4 Man ir pilna paļāvība uz jums; es ļoti lepojos ar jums; es esmu mierinājuma pilns un pārpilns ar prieku visās mūsu ciešanās. 5 Kad ieradāmies Maķedonijā, mūsu miesai nebija nekādas atelpas, mēs visādi tikām spaidīti: ārēji – cīņas, iekšēji – bailes. 6 Bet Dievs, kas dod iepriecu pazemīgajiem, iepriecināja arī mūs ar Tita ierašanos – 7 un ne tikai ar viņa ierašanos, bet arī ar to iepriecinājumu, kādu Tits bija saņēmis no jums – viņš paziņoja mums par jūsu ilgošanos, jūsu dziļajām bēdām, jūsu dedzību manis dēļ, tā ka mans prieks bija vēl lielāks. 8 Lai gan vēstulē es jūs apbēdināju, es to nenožēloju; agrāk bija tā, ka es nožēloju – redzu, ka tā vēstule uz brīdi jūs apbēdināja, – 9 toties tagad es priecājos un ne tādēļ, ka jūs tikāt apbēdināti, bet gan tādēļ, ka tikāt apbēdināti uz atgriešanos no grēkiem: jo jūs tikāt apbēdināti pēc Dieva nolūka, lai tādējādi no mums nekāds pāridarījums jums nerastos. 10 Jo bēdas, kas ir pēc Dieva nolūka, ved uz atgriešanos un izglābšanos, ko nenožēlo, bet pasaulīgās bēdas ved nāvē. 11 Redzi, šīs bēdas pēc Dieva nolūka – cik lielu nopietnību tās radīja jūsos, kādu tieksmi aizstāvēties, kādu sašutumu, bailes un ilgošanos, kādu centību, kādu tieksmi pēc taisnas tiesas! Bet visā tajā jūs sevi parādījāt šķīstus. 12 Tādējādi, ja arī es jums rakstīju, tad nedz pāridarītāja, nedz pārestību izcietušā dēļ, bet lai jums pašiem atklātos jūsu rūpes par mums Dieva priekšā. 13 Tas viss mums ir devis iepriecinājumu. Pie šā mūsu iepriecinājuma mēs vēl vairāk priecājāmies par Tita prieku, jo viņa gars ir spirdzinājies no jums visiem. 14 Ja arī kādā lietā esmu viņam lielījies par jums, tad nekaunos, jo, tāpat kā viss, ko jums runājām, ir patiesība, tā arī mūsu lielīšanās Titam izrādījās patiesība. 15 Un viņa pieķeršanās jums ir jo lielāka, atceroties jūsu paklausību, kā ar bailēm un trīsām viņu uzņēmāt. 16 Priecājos, ka varu uz jums visur paļauties.
