1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1親愛的弟兄阿,我們既有這等應許,就當潔淨自己,除去身體、靈魂一切的污穢,敬畏神,得以成聖。
2Make room for us [in your hearts]; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one.
2你們要心地寬大收納我們。我們未曾虧負誰,未曾敗壞誰,未曾佔誰的便宜。
3I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.
3我說這話,不是要定你們的罪。我已經說過,你們常在我們心裡,情願與你們同生同死。
4Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
4我大大的放膽,向你們說話;我因你們多多誇口,滿得安慰;我們在一切患難中分外的快樂。
5For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within.
5我們從前就是到了馬其頓的時候,身體也不得安寧,周圍遭患難,外有爭戰,內有懼怕。
6But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
6但那安慰喪氣之人的神藉著提多來安慰了我們;
7and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
7不但藉著他來,也藉著他從你們所得的安慰,安慰了我們;因他把你們的想念、哀慟,和向我的熱心,都告訴了我,叫我更加歡喜。
8For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it-- [for] I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while--
8我先前寫信叫你們憂愁,我後來雖然懊悔,如今卻不懊悔;因我知道,那信叫你們憂愁不過是暫時的。
9I 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.
9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。你們依著神的意思憂愁,凡事就不至於因我們受虧損了。
10For the sorrow that is according to [the will] [of] God produces a repentance without regret, [leading] to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
10因為依著神的意思憂愁,就生出沒有後悔的懊悔來。以致得救;但世俗的憂愁是叫人死。
11For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
11你看,你們依著神的意思憂愁,從此就生出何等的慇懃、自訴、自恨、恐懼、想念、熱心、責罰(或作:自責)。在這一切事上,你們都表明自己是潔淨的。
12So although I wrote to you, [it was] not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.
12我雖然從前寫信給你們,卻不是為那虧負人的,也不是為那受人虧負的,乃要在神面前把你們顧念我們的熱心表明出來。
13For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
13故此,我們得了安慰。並且在安慰之中,因你們眾人使提多心裡暢快歡喜,我們就更加歡喜了。
14For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be [the] truth.
14我若對提多誇獎了你們甚麼,也覺得沒有慚愧;因我對提多誇獎你們的話成了真的,正如我對你們所說的話也都是真的。
15His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
15並且提多想起你們眾人的順服,是怎樣恐懼戰兢的接待他,他愛你們的心腸就越發熱了。
16I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.
16我如今歡喜,能在凡事上為你們放心。