Christian Rebuking

Paul supports Corinthians' rebuke

 * 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

[1] For I have made up my mind not to come to you again in sadness. [2] For if I make you sad, who will be there to cheer me up except the one I saddened? [3] I wrote what I did, so that when I come I may not be saddened by those over whom I ought to rejoice, because I have confidence that what brings me joy brings all of you the same joy. [4] For out of much tribulation and anguish of heart I wrote you with many tears, not to sadden you, but to let you know the depth of love I have for you.

[5] Now if anyone has caused sadness,+ he has saddened, not me, but all of you to an extent—not to be too harsh in what I say. [6] This rebuke given by the majority is sufficient for such a man; [7] now you should instead kindly forgive and comfort him,+ so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sadness. 8 I therefore exhort you to confirm your love for him.+ 9 For this is also why I wrote to you: to determine whether you would give proof of your obedience in all things. 10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I do also. In fact, whatever I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) has been for your sake in Christ’s sight, 11 so that we may not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Be saddened toward repentance

 * 2 Corinthians 7:8-16

[8] For even if I saddened you by my letter,+ I do not regret it. Even if I did at first regret it (seeing that the letter saddened you, though only for a little while), [9] now I rejoice, not because you were just saddened, but because you were saddened into repenting. For you were saddened in a godly way, so that you suffered no harm because of us. 10 For sadness in a godly way produces repentance leading to salvation, leaving no regret;+ but the sadness of the world produces death. 11 For see what a great earnestness your being saddened in a godly way produced in you, yes, clearing of yourselves, yes, indignation, yes, fear, yes, earnest desire, yes, zeal, yes, righting of the wrong!+ In every respect you demonstrated yourselves to be pure* in this matter. 12 Although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the one who did the wrong,+ nor for the one who was wronged, but so that your earnestness for us might be made evident among you in the sight of God. 13 That is why we have been comforted.

But in addition to our comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy of Titus, because all of you refreshed his spirit. 14 For if I have boasted to him about you, I have not been put to shame; but just as all the things we told you were true, so also our boasting to Titus has proved true. 15 Also, his tender affections toward you are greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you,+ how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that in every way I may have confidence in* you.