2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

◄ 2 Corinthians 7:10 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

English Standard Version
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

New American Standard Bible
For 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.

King James Bible
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.

International Standard Version
For having sorrow in a godly way results in repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets. But the sorrow of the world produces death.

American Standard Version
For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the sorrow that is according to God worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Darby Bible Translation
For grief according to God works repentance to salvation, never to be regretted; but the grief of the world works death.

Young's Literal Translation
for the sorrow toward God reformation to salvation not to be repented of doth work, and the sorrow of the world doth work death,

Cross References

Psalm 38:18
For I will declare my iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

Ecclesiastes 7:3
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Acts 11:18
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life.

2 Corinthians 7:9
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

7:5-11 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 Spirit of God, renders the heart humble, contrite, submissive, disposed to mortify every sin, and to walk in newness of life. And this repentance is connected with saving faith in Christ, and an interest in his atonement. There is a great difference between this sorrow of a godly sort, and the sorrow of the world. The happy fruits of true repentance are mentioned. Where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be changed. It wrought indignation at sin, at themselves, at the tempter and his instruments. It wrought a fear of watchfulness, and a cautious fear of sin. It wrought desire to be reconciled with God. It wrought zeal for duty, and against sin. It wrought revenge against sin and their own folly, by endeavours to make satisfaction for injuries done thereby. Deep humility before God, hatred of all sin, with faith in Christ, a new heart and a new life, make repentance unto salvation. May the Lord bestow it on every one of us.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. 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 [2315]2Co 4:17).

repentance … not to be repented of—There is not in the Greek this play on words, so that the word qualified is not "repentance" merely, but "repentance unto salvation"; this, he says, none will ever regret, however attended with "sorrow" at the time. "Repentance" implies a coming to a right mind; "regret" implies merely uneasiness of feeling at the past or present, and is applied even to the remorse of Judas (Mt 27:3; Greek, "stricken with remorse," not as English Version, "repented himself"); so that, though always accompanying repentance, it is not always accompanied by repentance. "Repentance" removes the impediments in the way of "salvation" (to which "death," namely, of the soul, is opposed). "The sorrow of the world" is not at the sin itself, but at its penal consequences: so that the tears of pain are no sooner dried up, than the pleasures of ungodliness are renewed. So Pharaoh, Ex 9:27, 28-30; and Saul, 1Sa 15:23-30. Compare Isa 9:13; Re 16:10, 11. Contrast David's "godly sorrow," 2Sa 12:13, and Peter's, Mt 26:75.