2 Corinthians 1:15-2:4

The Voice

^15-16 In this spirit of trust and confidence, I was intending to come your way first on my current journey. So that you might have a double dose of this grace and assurance, my plan was to visit you on my way to Macedonia and return to you again on the journey back so that you could assist me on the trip to Judea. ¹⁷ But since this didn’t happen, was I just being indecisive? Were my plans made in the flesh rather than by God’s Spirit? How can I say “yes” and “no” in the same breath? ¹⁸ Because our God is always faithful to His promises, our word to you was not both “yes” and “no”—“Yes, I’ll come,” and then, “No, I’ve changed my mind.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God—Jesus the Anointed whom we (Silvanus,^[a] Timothy, and I) have preached to you—was not both “yes” and then “no.” With Him the answer is always “yes.” ²⁰ In Jesus we hear a resounding “yes” to all of God’s many promises. This is the reason we say “Amen” to and through Jesus when giving glory to God. ²¹ Remember that God has established our relationship with you in the Anointed One, and He has anointed and commissioned us for this special mission. ²² He has marked us with His seal and placed His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee, a down payment of the things to come.

²³ If I were in court today, I’d call God as a witness to my soul. Here’s the truth: I decided not to come back to Corinth in order to spare you further pain and sorrow. ²⁴ It’s not that we want to coerce you in any matter of faith; we are coworkers called to increase your joy because you have stood firm in faith.

2 I finally determined that I would not come to you again for yet another agonizing visit. ² If my visits create such pain and sorrow for you, who can cheer me up except for those I’ve caused such grief? ³ This is exactly what I was writing to you about earlier so that when we are face-to-face I will not have to wallow in sadness in the presence of friends who should bring me the utmost joy. For I felt sure that my delight would also become your delight. ⁴ My last letter to you was covered with tears, composed with great difficulty, and frankly, a broken heart. It wasn’t my intention to depress you or cause you pain; rather, I had hoped you would see it for what it was—a demonstration of the overwhelming love I have for all of you.