²³ But God is my witness that it was in pity for you that I did not come to Corinth at that time.

²⁰ Now God is witness that the things which I am writing to you are true.

²¹ What is your desire? is my coming to be with punishment, or is it to be in love and a gentle spirit?

⁹ For God is my witness, whose servant I am in spirit in the good news of his Son, that you are at all times in my memory and in my prayers,

¹⁰ For this cause I am writing these things while I am away, so that there may be need for me, when I am present, to make use of sharp measures, by the authority which the Lord has given me for building up and not for destruction.

² I said before, and still say it before I come, as being present for the second time, though I am still away from you, to those who have done wrong before, and to all the others, that if I come again I will not have pity;

²⁰ Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have given up to Satan, so that they may say no more evil words against God.

⁵ For it is common knowledge among you that we never made use of smooth-sounding false words, and God is witness that at no time were we secretly desiring profit for ourselves,

⁸ For God is my witness, how my love goes out to you all in the loving mercies of Christ Jesus.

²⁰ For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority;

³¹ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise for ever, is witness that the things which I say are true.

¹¹ Why? because I have no love for you? let God be judge.

⁶ Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.

⁷ Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is.

⁸ For though I might take pride in our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for your destruction), it will not be a cause of shame to me:

⁹ That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters.

¹⁰ For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.

¹¹ Let those who say this keep in mind that, what we are in word by letters when we are away, so will we be in act when we are present.

² Yes, I make my request to you, so that when I am with you I may not have to make use of the authority which may be needed against some to whom we seem to be walking after the flesh.

¹ But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you with sorrow.

² For if I give you sorrow, who then will make me glad, but he who is made sad by me?

³ And I said this very thing in my letter, for fear that when I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the joy of you all.

¹⁸ As God is true, our word to you is not Yes and No.

⁵ That this man is to be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may have forgiveness in the day of the Lord Jesus.

¹ I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit,