2 Corinthians 7:8
New International Version
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—

New Living Translation
I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.

English Standard Version
For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while.

Berean Standard Bible
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time.

Berean Literal Bible
For if also I have grieved you in the letter, I do not regret it. For even if I did regret it, I see that the letter grieved you, even if for an hour.

King James Bible
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

New King James Version
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.

New American Standard Bible
For 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—

NASB 1995
For 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—

NASB 1977
For 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—

Legacy Standard Bible
For 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—

Amplified Bible
For even though I did grieve you with my letter, I do not regret it [now]; though I did regret it —for I see that the letter hurt you, though only for a little while—

Christian Standard Bible
For even if I grieved you with my letter, I don’t regret it. And if I regretted it—since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a while—

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For even if I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it—even though I did regret it since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a little while.

American Standard Version
For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it: though I did regret it ( for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season),

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For although I grieved you by an epistle, I have no regret, even though I was sorry, for I saw that the same epistle, though it grieved you for an hour,

Contemporary English Version
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For although I made you sorrowful by my epistle, I do not repent; and if I did repent, seeing that the same epistle (although but for a time) did make you sorrowful;

English Revised Version
For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it, though I did regret; for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If my letter made you uncomfortable, I'm not sorry. But since my letter did make you uncomfortable for a while, I was sorry.

Good News Translation
For even if that letter of mine made you sad, I am not sorry I wrote it. I could have been sorry when I saw that it made you sad for a while.

International Standard Version
If I made you sad with my letter, I do not regret it, although I did regret it then. I see that the letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while.

Literal Standard Version
because even if I made you sorry in the letter, I do not regret—if even I regretted—for I perceive that the letter, even if for an hour, made you sorry.

Majority Standard Bible
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time.

New American Bible
For even if I saddened you by my letter, I do not regret it; and if I did regret it ([for] I see that that letter saddened you, if only for a while),

NET Bible
For 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).

New Revised Standard Version
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it (though I did regret it, for I see that I grieved you with that letter, though only briefly).

New Heart English Bible
For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.

Webster's Bible Translation
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it was but for a season.

Weymouth New Testament
For if I gave you pain by that letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it then. I see that that letter, even though for a time it gave you pain, had a salutary effect.

World English Bible
For though I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you grieve, though just for a while.

Young's Literal Translation
because even if I made you sorry in the letter, I do not repent -- if even I did repent -- for I perceive that the letter, even if for an hour, did make you sorry.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Joy in the Corinthians
7and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more. 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time. 9And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us.…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 2:2
For if I grieve you, who is left to cheer me but those whom I have grieved?

2 Corinthians 2:3
I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.

2 Corinthians 2:4
For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.

2 Corinthians 7:7
and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.

2 Corinthians 7:9
And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us.

2 Corinthians 7:12
So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.


Treasury of Scripture

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same letter has made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

though I made.

2 Corinthians 7:6,11
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; …

2 Corinthians 2:2-11
For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? …

Lamentations 3:32
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

though I did.

Exodus 5:22,23
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? …

Jeremiah 20:7-9
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me…

Jump to Previous
Caused Effect Epistle Grieved Hour Hurt Letter Pain Perceive Regret Regretted Repent Season Sorrow Sorry Time
Jump to Next
Caused Effect Epistle Grieved Hour Hurt Letter Pain Perceive Regret Regretted Repent Season Sorrow Sorry Time
2 Corinthians 7
1. He proceeds in exhorting them to purity of life;
2. and to bear him like affection as he does to them.
3. Whereof lest he might seem to doubt, he declares what comfort he took in his afflictions
6. by the report which Titus gave of their godly sorrow,
8. which his former epistle had wrought in them;
13. and of their loving-kindness and obedience toward Titus, answerable to his former boastings of them.














(8) For though I made you sorry with a letter.--Better, For even if, and, as the Greek has the article, with my letter. This Titus had told him; and commonly to have caused pain to others would have been a source of grief to him, but he cannot bring himself now to say, I regret. (This is, perhaps, better than repent. On the words, see Notes on Matthew 21:29; Matthew 27:3.) He owns, however, that there had been a moment, either on first hearing of their grief or in his previous anxiety, when he had half regretted that he had written so strongly. Now he sees that that grief was but transient, and he trusts that the good wrought by it will be abiding.

Verse 8. - With a letter; rather, with my Epistle. Probably the First Epistle, though some suppose that the allusion is to a lost intermediate letter. I do not repent, though I did repent; better, I do not regret it. Every one has experienced the anxiety which has followed the despatch of some painful letter. If it does good, well; but perhaps it may do harm. The severity was called for; it seemed a duty to write severely. But how will the rebuke be received? Might we not have done better if we had used language less uncompromisingly stern? As St. Paul thought with intense anxiety that perhaps in his zeal for truth he may have irrevocably alienated the feelings of the Corinthians, whom, with all their grave faults, he loved, a moment came when he actually regretted what he had written. He himself assures us that he had this feeling. Those who try all kinds of fantastic hypotheses and tortuous exegesis to explain away this phrase as though it were inconsistent with St. Paul's inspiration, go to Scripture to find there their own a priori dogmas, not to seek what Scripture really says. The doctrine of inspiration is not the fetish into which it has been degraded by formal systems of scholastic theology. Inspiration was not a mechanical dictation of words, but the influence of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of men who retained all their own natural emotions. For I perceive, etc. There are various ways of taking this clause. Nothing, however, is simpler than to regard it as a parenthetic remark (for I see that that Epistle, though it were but for a time, saddened you). Though it were but for a season. (For the phrase, see Philemon 1:15; Galatians 2:5.) He means to say that their grief will at any rate cease when they receive this letter, and he can bear the thought of having pained them when he remembers the brevity of their grief and the good effects which resulted from it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Even
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

I caused you sorrow
ἐλύπησα (elypēsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3076: To pain, grieve, vex. From lupe; to distress; reflexively or passively, to be sad.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[my]
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

letter,
ἐπιστολῇ (epistolē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1992: A letter, dispatch, epistle, message. From epistello; a written message.

I do not regret [it].
μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3338: From meta and the middle voice of melo; to care afterwards, i.e. Regret.

Although
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

I did regret [it],
μετεμελόμην (metemelomēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3338: From meta and the middle voice of melo; to care afterwards, i.e. Regret.

I now see
βλέπω (blepō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

[my]
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

letter
ἐπιστολὴ (epistolē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1992: A letter, dispatch, epistle, message. From epistello; a written message.

[caused]
ἐκείνη (ekeinē)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

sorrow,
ἐλύπησεν (elypēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3076: To pain, grieve, vex. From lupe; to distress; reflexively or passively, to be sad.

but only
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

for
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

a short time.
ὥραν (hōran)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5610: Apparently a primary word; an 'hour'.


Links
2 Corinthians 7:8 NIV
2 Corinthians 7:8 NLT
2 Corinthians 7:8 ESV
2 Corinthians 7:8 NASB
2 Corinthians 7:8 KJV

2 Corinthians 7:8 BibleApps.com
2 Corinthians 7:8 Biblia Paralela
2 Corinthians 7:8 Chinese Bible
2 Corinthians 7:8 French Bible
2 Corinthians 7:8 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 7:8 For though I made you sorry (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 7:7
Top of Page
Top of Page