23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

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23 I call God as my witness(A)—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you(B) that I did not return to Corinth.

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20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

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20 I assure you before God(A) that what I am writing you is no lie.(B)

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21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

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21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,(A) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

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For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

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God, whom I serve(A) in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness(B) how constantly I remember you

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10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

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10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh(A) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.(B)

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I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

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I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:(A) On my return I will not spare(B) those who sinned earlier(C) or any of the others,

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For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

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God can testify(A) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

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20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

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20 For I am afraid that when I come(A) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.(B) I fear that there may be discord,(C) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,(D) slander,(E) gossip,(F) arrogance(G) and disorder.(H)

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And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

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And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(A)

You are judging by appearances.[a](B) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,(C) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.(D) So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(E) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(F) I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(G) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(H) 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts

20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

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20 Among them are Hymenaeus(A) and Alexander,(B) whom I have handed over to Satan(C) to be taught not to blaspheme.

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For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

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You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(A)—God is our witness.(B)

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31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

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31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,(A) knows(B) that I am not lying.

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11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

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11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows(A) I do!(B)

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