²¹ What would you prefer? Am I to come to you with a stick or with love in a spirit of gentleness?^(A)

² I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not be lenient—

⁷ though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle^[a] among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.

¹⁰ So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.^(A)

²⁰ For I fear that when I come I may find you not as I wish and that you may find me not as you wish; I fear that there may perhaps be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.^{(A) 21} I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery that they have practiced.^(B)

³ And I wrote as I did, so that when I came, I might not suffer grief from those who should have made me rejoice, for I am confident about all of you, that my joy would be the joy of all of you.^(A)

²³ But I call on God as witness against me: it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth.^(A)

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.^(A)

⁶ We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.^(A)

Paul Defends His Ministry

10 I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you but bold toward you when I am away!^(A)— ² I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think we are acting according to human standards.^[a](B)