Paul’s Integrity

¹² For our ^[a]proud confidence is this: the testimony of ^(A)our conscience, that in holiness and ^(B)godly sincerity, ^(C)not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. ¹³ For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand ^(D)until the end; ¹⁴ just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on ^(E)the day of our Lord Jesus.

¹⁵ In this confidence I intended at first to ^(F)come to you, so that you might ^[b]twice receive a ^[c](G)blessing; ^16 [d]that is, to ^(H)pass ^[e]your way into ^(I)Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be ^(J)helped on my journey to Judea. ¹⁷ Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I decide, do I decide ^(K)according to the flesh, so that with me there will be ^[f]yes, yes and no, no at the same time? ¹⁸ But as ^(L)God is faithful, ^(M)our word to you is not yes and no. ¹⁹ For ^(N)the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and ^(O)Silvanus and ^(P)Timothy—was not yes and no, but has been yes ^(Q)in Him. ²⁰ For ^(R)as many as the promises of God are, ^(S)in Him they are yes; therefore through Him also is ^(T)our Amen to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who ^(U)establishes us with you in Christ and ^(V)anointed us is God, ²² who also ^(W)sealed us and ^(X)gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a ^[g]pledge.

²³ But ^(Y)I call God as witness to my soul, that it was ^(Z)to spare you that I did not come again to ^(AA)Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we ^(AB)domineer over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are ^(AC)standing firm.

Reaffirm Your Love

2 But I decided this ^[a]for my own sake, that I ^(A)would not come to you in sorrow again. ² For if I ^(B)cause you sorrow, who then will be the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? ³ This is the very thing I ^(C)wrote you, so that ^(D)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having ^(E)confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I ^(F)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

⁵ But ^(G)if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not for me, but in some degree—^[b]not to say too much—for all of you. ⁶ Sufficient for such a person is ^(H)this punishment which was imposed by the majority, ⁷ so that on the other hand, you should rather ^(I)forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a person might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ For to this end ^(J)I also wrote, so that I might ^[c](K)put you to the test, whether you are ^(L)obedient in all things. ¹⁰ But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes ^(M)in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ so that no advantage would be taken of us by ^(N)Satan, for ^(O)we are not ignorant of his schemes.