2 Corinthians 1:15-2:11

New King James Version

Sparing the Church

¹⁵ And in this confidence ^(A)I intended to come to you before, that you might have ^(B)a second benefit— ¹⁶ to pass by way of you to Macedonia, ^(C)to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan ^(D)according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? ¹⁸ But as God is ^(E)faithful, our ^[a]word to you was not Yes and No. ¹⁹ For ^(F)the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, ^(G)Silvanus, and ^(H)Timothy—was not Yes and No, ^(I)but in Him was Yes. ^20 (J)For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and ^(K)has anointed us is God, ²² who ^(L)also has sealed us and ^(M)given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

²³ Moreover ^(N)I call God as witness against my soul, ^(O)that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. ²⁴ Not ^(P)that we ^[b]have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for ^(Q)by faith you stand.

Paul Urges Forgiveness

2 But I determined this within myself, ^(R)that I would not come again to you in sorrow. ² For if I make you ^(S)sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

Forgive the Offender

³ And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, ^(T)I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, ^(U)having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much ^[c]affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, ^(V)not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

⁵ But ^(W)if anyone has caused grief, he has not ^(X)grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. ⁶ This punishment which was inflicted ^(Y)by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ^7 (Z)so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹ For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are ^(AA)obedient in all things. ¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For ^[d]if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.