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Selected Verse: 2 Corinthians 7:10 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
2Co 7:10	Strong Concordance	For [1063] godly [2316] [2596] sorrow [3077] worketh [2716] repentance [3341] to [1519] salvation [4991] not to be repented of [278]: but [1161] the sorrow [3077] of the world [2889] worketh [2716] death [2288].
	King James	For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
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 Rom 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 Co2 4:17; also see on Co2 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 (Mat 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, Exo 9:27-30; and Saul, Sa1 15:23-30. Compare Isa 9:13; Rev 16:10-11. Contrast David's "godly sorrow," Sa2 12:13, and Peter's, Mat 26:75.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

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 Rom 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 Co2 4:17; also see on Co2 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 (Mat 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, Exo 9:27-30; and Saul, Sa1 15:23-30. Compare Isa 9:13; Rev 16:10-11. Contrast David's "godly sorrow," Sa2 12:13, and Peter's, Mat 26:75.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For godly sorrow - "Sorrow according to God" (Ἡ γὰρ κατὰ Θεὸν λύπη Hē gar kata Theon lupē). That is, such sorrow as has respect to God, or is according to his will, or as leads the soul to him. This is a very important expression in regard to true repentance, and shows the exact nature of that sorrow which is connected with a return to God. The phrase may be regarded as implying the following things: (1) Such sorrow as God approves, or such as is suitable to. or conformable to his will and desires. It cannot mean that it is such sorrow or grief as God has, for he has none; but such as shall be in accordance with what God demands in a return to him. It is a sorrow which his truth is suited to produce on the heart; such a sorrow as shall appropriately arise from viewing sin as God views it; such sorrow as exists in the mind when our views accord with his in regard to the existence, the extent, the nature, and the ill-desert of sin. Such views will lead to sorrow that it has ever been committed; and such views will be "according to God." (2) such sorrow as shall be exercised toward God in view of sin; which shall arise from a view of the evil of sin as committed against a holy God. It is not mainly that it will lead to pain; that it will overwhelm the soul in disgrace; that it will forfeit the favor or lead to the contempt of man; or that it will lead to an eternal hell; but it is such as arises from a view of the evil of sin as committed against a holy and just God, deriving its main evil from the fact that it is an offence against his infinite Majesty. Such sorrow David had Psa 2:4, when he said, "against thee, thee only have I sinned;" when the offence regarded as committed against, man, enormous as it was, was lost and absorbed in its greater evil when regarded as committed against God. So all true and genuine repentance is that which regards sin as deriving its main evil from the fact that it is committed against God. (3) that which leads to God. It leads to God to obtain forgiveness; to seek for consolation. A heart truly contrite and penitent seeks God, and implores pardon from him. Other sorrow in view of sin than that which is genuine repentance, leads the person away from God. He seeks consolation in the world; he endeavors to drive away his serious impressions or to drown them in the pleasures and the cares of life. But genuine sorrow for sin leads the soul to God, and conducts the sinner, through the Redeemer, to him to obtain the pardon and peace which he only can give to a wounded spirit. In God alone can pardon and true peace be found; and godly sorrow for sin will seek them there. Worketh repentance - Produces a change that shall be permanent; a reformation. It is not mere regret; it does not soon pass away in its effects, but it produces permanent and abiding changes. A man who mourns over sin as committed against God, and who seek to God for pardon, will reform his life and truly repent. He who has grief for sin only because it will lead to disgrace or shame, or because it will lead to poverty or pain, will not necessarily break off from it and reform. It is only when it is seen that sin is committed against God and is evil in his sight, that it leads to a change of life. Not to be repented of - (ἀμεταμέλητον ametamelēton); see the note on Co2 7:8. Not to be regretted. It is permanent and abiding. There is no occasion to mourn over such repentance and change of life. It is that which the mind approves, and which it will always approve. There will be no reason for regretting it, and it will never be regretted. And it is so. Who ever yet repented of having truly repented of sin? Who is there, who has there ever been, who became a true penitent, and a true Christian, who ever regretted it? Not an individual has ever been known who regretted his having become a Christian. Not one who regretted that he had become one too soon in life, or that he had served the Lord Jesus too faithfully or too long. But the sorrow of the world - All sorrow which is not toward God, and which does not arise from just views of sin as committed against God, or lead to God. Probably Paul refers here to the sorrow which arises from worldly causes and which does not lead to God for consolation. Such may be the sorrow which arises from the loss of friends or property; from disappointment, or from shame and disgrace, Perhaps it may include the following things: (1) Sorrow arising from losses of property and friends, and from disappointment. (2) sorrow for sin or vice when it overwhelms the mind with the consciousness of guilt, and when it does not lead to God, and when there is no contrition of soul from viewing it as an offence against God. Thus, a female who has wandered from the paths of virtue, and involved her family and herself in disgrace; or a man who has been guilty of forgery, or perjury, or any other disgraceful crime, and who is detected; a man who has violated the laws of the land, and who has involved himself and family in disgrace, will often feel regret, and sorrow, and also remorse, but it arises wholly from worldly considerations, and does not lead to God. (3) when the sorrow arises from a view of worldly consequences merely, and when there is no looking to God for pardon and consolation. Thus, people, when they lose their property or friends, often pine in grief without looking to God. Thus, when they have wandered from the path of virtue and have fallen into sin, they often look merely to the disgrace among people, and see their names blasted, and their comforts gone, and pine away in grief. There is no looking to God for pardon or for consolation. The sorrow arises from this world, and it terminates there. It is the loss of what they valued pertaining to this world, and it is all which they had, and it produces death. It is sorrow such as the people of this world have, begins with this world, and terminates with this world. Worketh death - Tends to death, spiritual, temporal, and eternal. It does not tend to life. (1) it produces distress only. It is attended with no consolation. (2) it tends to break the spirit, to destroy the peace, and to mar the happiness. (3) it often leads to death itself. The spirit is broken, and the heart pines away under the influence of the unalleviated sorrow; or under its influence people often lay violent hands on themselves and take their lives. Life is often closed under the influence of such sorrow. (4) it tends to eternal death. There is no looking to God; no looking for pardon. It produces murmuring, repining, complaining, fretfulness against God, and thus leads to his displeasure and to the condemnation and ruin of the soul.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

For godly sorrow - "Sorrow according to God" (Ἡ γὰρ κατὰ Θεὸν λύπη Hē gar kata Theon lupē). That is, such sorrow as has respect to God, or is according to his will, or as leads the soul to him. This is a very important expression in regard to true repentance, and shows the exact nature of that sorrow which is connected with a return to God. The phrase may be regarded as implying the following things:

(1) Such sorrow as God approves, or such as is suitable to. or conformable to his will and desires. It cannot mean that it is such sorrow or grief as God has, for he has none; but such as shall be in accordance with what God demands in a return to him. It is a sorrow which his truth is suited to produce on the heart; such a sorrow as shall appropriately arise from viewing sin as God views it; such sorrow as exists in the mind when our views accord with his in regard to the existence, the extent, the nature, and the ill-desert of sin. Such views will lead to sorrow that it has ever been committed; and such views will be "according to God."

(2) such sorrow as shall be exercised toward God in view of sin; which shall arise from a view of the evil of sin as committed against a holy God. It is not mainly that it will lead to pain; that it will overwhelm the soul in disgrace; that it will forfeit the favor or lead to the contempt of man; or that it will lead to an eternal hell; but it is such as arises from a view of the evil of sin as committed against a holy and just God, deriving its main evil from the fact that it is an offence against his infinite Majesty. Such sorrow David had Psa 2:4, when he said, "against thee, thee only have I sinned;" when the offence regarded as committed against, man, enormous as it was, was lost and absorbed in its greater evil when regarded as committed against God. So all true and genuine repentance is that which regards sin as deriving its main evil from the fact that it is committed against God.

(3) that which leads to God. It leads to God to obtain forgiveness; to seek for consolation. A heart truly contrite and penitent seeks God, and implores pardon from him. Other sorrow in view of sin than that which is genuine repentance, leads the person away from God. He seeks consolation in the world; he endeavors to drive away his serious impressions or to drown them in the pleasures and the cares of life. But genuine sorrow for sin leads the soul to God, and conducts the sinner, through the Redeemer, to him to obtain the pardon and peace which he only can give to a wounded spirit. In God alone can pardon and true peace be found; and godly sorrow for sin will seek them there.

Worketh repentance - Produces a change that shall be permanent; a reformation. It is not mere regret; it does not soon pass away in its effects, but it produces permanent and abiding changes. A man who mourns over sin as committed against God, and who seek to God for pardon, will reform his life and truly repent. He who has grief for sin only because it will lead to disgrace or shame, or because it will lead to poverty or pain, will not necessarily break off from it and reform. It is only when it is seen that sin is committed against God and is evil in his sight, that it leads to a change of life.

Not to be repented of - (ἀμεταμέλητον ametamelēton); see the note on Co2 7:8. Not to be regretted. It is permanent and abiding. There is no occasion to mourn over such repentance and change of life. It is that which the mind approves, and which it will always approve. There will be no reason for regretting it, and it will never be regretted. And it is so. Who ever yet repented of having truly repented of sin? Who is there, who has there ever been, who became a true penitent, and a true Christian, who ever regretted it? Not an individual has ever been known who regretted his having become a Christian. Not one who regretted that he had become one too soon in life, or that he had served the Lord Jesus too faithfully or too long.

But the sorrow of the world - All sorrow which is not toward God, and which does not arise from just views of sin as committed against God, or lead to God. Probably Paul refers here to the sorrow which arises from worldly causes and which does not lead to God for consolation. Such may be the sorrow which arises from the loss of friends or property; from disappointment, or from shame and disgrace, Perhaps it may include the following things:

(1) Sorrow arising from losses of property and friends, and from disappointment.

(2) sorrow for sin or vice when it overwhelms the mind with the consciousness of guilt, and when it does not lead to God, and when there is no contrition of soul from viewing it as an offence against God. Thus, a female who has wandered from the paths of virtue, and involved her family and herself in disgrace; or a man who has been guilty of forgery, or perjury, or any other disgraceful crime, and who is detected; a man who has violated the laws of the land, and who has involved himself and family in disgrace, will often feel regret, and sorrow, and also remorse, but it arises wholly from worldly considerations, and does not lead to God.

(3) when the sorrow arises from a view of worldly consequences merely, and when there is no looking to God for pardon and consolation. Thus, people, when they lose their property or friends, often pine in grief without looking to God. Thus, when they have wandered from the path of virtue and have fallen into sin, they often look merely to the disgrace among people, and see their names blasted, and their comforts gone, and pine away in grief. There is no looking to God for pardon or for consolation. The sorrow arises from this world, and it terminates there. It is the loss of what they valued pertaining to this world, and it is all which they had, and it produces death. It is sorrow such as the people of this world have, begins with this world, and terminates with this world.

Worketh death - Tends to death, spiritual, temporal, and eternal. It does not tend to life.

(1) it produces distress only. It is attended with no consolation.

(2) it tends to break the spirit, to destroy the peace, and to mar the happiness.

(3) it often leads to death itself. The spirit is broken, and the heart pines away under the influence of the unalleviated sorrow; or under its influence people often lay violent hands on themselves and take their lives. Life is often closed under the influence of such sorrow.

(4) it tends to eternal death. There is no looking to God; no looking for pardon. It produces murmuring, repining, complaining, fretfulness against God, and thus leads to his displeasure and to the condemnation and ruin of the soul.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
salvation (See Scofield) - (Rom 1:16). world Greek, "kosmos", means "world-system". (Gal 6:14); (Joh 7:7). (See Scofield) - (Rev 13:8).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Sorrow - repentance (λύπη - μετάνοιαν) Paul's words strike effectively at the popular identification of sorrow with repentance. Not to be repented of (ἀμεταμέλητον) Construe with repentance. The Rev., in order to bring out this connection, amplifies the translation: a repentance which bringeth no regret. The oxymoron (see on Rom 1:20; Rom 4:18) is in the A.V. rather than in the Greek. It should be carefully observed that the two words, repentance, not to be repented of, represent different roots and different ideas: repentance (μετάνοιαν) denoting the moral change, and to be repented of denoting the sentiment of misgiving or regret (see on Mat 21:29), and so answering to λύπη sorrow. The Rev. brings out the distinction by substituting regret for repentance. Sorrow of the world Antithesis with the sorrow which is according to God (A.V., godly sorrow). Sorrow which is characteristic of the world; grief for the consequences rather than for the sin as sin. Worketh (κατεργάζεται) Brings to pass. Notice that the simple verb ἐργάζετι is used in the previous clause, the distinction from this verb being obliterated by rendering both worketh. The difference is between contributing to a result and achieving it.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The sorrow of the world - Sorrow that arises from worldly considerations. Worketh death - Naturally tends to work or occasion death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For godly sorrow - That which has the breach of God's holy law for its object. Worketh repentance - A thorough change of mind unto salvation, because the person who feels it cannot rest till he finds pardon through the mercy of God. But the sorrow of the world worketh death - Sorrow for lost goods, lost friends, death of relatives, etc., when it is poignant and deep, produces diseases, increases those that already exist, and often leads men to lay desperate hands on themselves. This sorrow leads to destruction, the other leads to salvation; the one leads to heaven, the other to hell.

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⁷⁵ And [2532] Peter [4074] remembered [3415] the word [4487] of Jesus [2424], which [3588] said [2046] unto him [846], Before [3754] [4250] the cock [220] crow [5455], thou shalt deny [533] me [3165] thrice [5151]. And [2532] he went out [1854], and [1831] wept [2799] bitterly [4090].

¹³ And David [01732] said [0559] unto Nathan [05416], I have sinned [02398] against the LORD [03068]. And Nathan [05416] said [0559] unto David [01732], The LORD [03068] also hath put away [05674] thy sin [02403]; thou shalt not die [04191].

¹⁰ And [2532] the fifth [3991] angel [32] poured out [1632] his [846] vial [5357] upon [1909] the seat [2362] of the beast [2342]; and [2532] his [846] kingdom [932] was [1096] full of darkness [4656]; and [2532] they gnawed [3145] their [846] tongues [1100] for [1537] pain [4192],
¹¹ And [2532] blasphemed [987] the God [2316] of heaven [3772] because of [1537] their [846] pains [4192] and [2532] [1537] their [846] sores [1668], and [2532] repented [3340] not [3756] of [1537] their [846] deeds [2041].

¹³ For the people [05971] turneth [07725] not unto him that smiteth [05221] them, neither do they seek [01875] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].

²³ For rebellion [04805] is as the sin [02403] of witchcraft [07081], and stubbornness [06484] is as iniquity [0205] and idolatry [08655]. Because thou hast rejected [03988] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], he hath also rejected [03988] thee from being king [04428].
²⁴ And Saul [07586] said [0559] unto Samuel [08050], I have sinned [02398]: for I have transgressed [05674] the commandment [06310] of the LORD [03068], and thy words [01697]: because I feared [03372] the people [05971], and obeyed [08085] their voice [06963].
²⁵ Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon [05375] my sin [02403], and turn again [07725] with me, that I may worship [07812] the LORD [03068].
²⁶ And Samuel [08050] said [0559] unto Saul [07586], I will not return [07725] with thee: for thou hast rejected [03988] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], and the LORD [03068] hath rejected [03988] thee from being king [04428] over Israel [03478].
²⁷ And as Samuel [08050] turned about [05437] to go away [03212], he laid hold [02388] upon the skirt [03671] of his mantle [04598], and it rent [07167].
²⁸ And Samuel [08050] said [0559] unto him, The LORD [03068] hath rent [07167] the kingdom [04468] of Israel [03478] from thee this day [03117], and hath given [05414] it to a neighbour [07453] of thine, that is better [02896] than thou.
²⁹ And also the Strength [05331] of Israel [03478] will not lie [08266] nor repent [05162]: for he is not a man [0120], that he should repent [05162].
³⁰ Then he said [0559], I have sinned [02398]: yet honour [03513] me now, I pray thee, before the elders [02205] of my people [05971], and before Israel [03478], and turn again [07725] with me, that I may worship [07812] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430].

²⁷ And Pharaoh [06547] sent [07971], and called [07121] for Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175], and said [0559] unto them, I have sinned [02398] this time [06471]: the LORD [03068] is righteous [06662], and I and my people [05971] are wicked [07563].
²⁸ Intreat [06279] the LORD [03068] (for it is enough [07227]) that there be no more mighty [0430] thunderings [06963] and hail [01259]; and I will let you go [07971], and ye shall stay [05975] no longer [03254].
²⁹ And Moses [04872] said [0559] unto him, As soon as I am gone out [03318] of the city [05892], I will spread abroad [06566] my hands [03709] unto the LORD [03068]; and the thunder [06963] shall cease [02308], neither shall there be any more hail [01259]; that thou mayest know [03045] how that the earth [0776] is the LORD'S [03068].
³⁰ But as for thee and thy servants [05650], I know [03045] that ye will not yet fear [03372] [06440] the LORD [03068] God [0430].

³ Then [5119] Judas [2455], which [3588] had betrayed [3860] him [846], when he saw [1492] that [3754] he was condemned [2632], repented himself [3338], and brought again [654] the thirty [5144] pieces of silver [694] to the chief priests [749] and [2532] elders [4245],

¹⁷ For [1063] our [2257] light [1645] affliction [2347], which [3588] is but for a moment [3910], worketh [2716] for us [2254] a far [2596] [5236] more exceeding [1519] [5236] and eternal [166] weight [922] of glory [1391];

¹⁰ Love [26] worketh [2038] no [3756] ill [2556] to his neighbour [4139]: therefore [3767] love [26] is the fulfilling [4138] of the law [3551].

⁸ For [3754] though [1499] I made [3076] you [5209] sorry [3076] with [1722] a letter [1992], I do [3338] not [3756] repent [3338], though [1499] I did repent [3338]: for [1063] I perceive [991] that [3754] the same [1565] epistle [1992] hath made [3076] you [5209] sorry [3076], though it were but [1499] for [4314] a season [5610].

⁴ He that sitteth [03427] in the heavens [08064] shall laugh [07832]: the Lord [0136] shall have them in derision [03932].

⁸ And [2532] all [3956] that dwell [2730] upon [1909] the earth [1093] shall worship [4352] him [846], whose [3739] names [3686] are [1125] not [3756] written [1125] in [1722] the book [976] of life [2222] of the Lamb [721] slain [4969] from [575] the foundation [2602] of the world [2889].

⁷ The world [2889] cannot [3756] [1410] hate [3404] you [5209]; but [1161] me [1691] it hateth [3404], because [3754] I [1473] testify [3140] of [4012] it [846], that [3754] the works [2041] thereof [846] are [2076] evil [4190].

¹⁴ But [1161] God forbid [3361] [1096] that I [1698] should glory [2744], save [1508] in [1722] the cross [4716] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], by [1223] whom [3739] the world [2889] is crucified [4717] unto me [1698], and I [2504] unto the world [2889].

¹⁶ For [1063] I am [1870] not [3756] ashamed [1870] of the gospel [2098] of Christ [5547]: for [1063] it is [2076] the power [1411] of God [2316] unto [1519] salvation [4991] to every one [3956] that believeth [4100]; to the Jew [2453] first [4412], and [5037] also [2532] to the Greek [1672].

²⁹ He answered [1161] [611] and said [2036], I will [2309] not [3756]: but [1161] afterward [5305] he repented [3338], and went [565].

¹⁸ Who [3739] against [3844] hope [1680] believed [4100] in [1909] hope [1680], that [1519] he [846] might become [1096] the father [3962] of many [4183] nations [1484], according [2596] to that which was spoken [2046], So [3779] shall [2071] thy [4675] seed [4690] be [2071].

²⁰ For [1063] the invisible things [517] of him [846] from [575] the creation [2937] of the world [2889] are clearly seen [2529], being understood [3539] by the things that are made [4161], even [5037] his [846] eternal [126] power [1411] and [2532] Godhead [2305]; so [1519] that they [846] are [1511] without excuse [379]: