¹⁹ Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you.

God’s Selection of Israel

9 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it.

⁸ I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.

A Call to Orderly Worship

²⁶ Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.

¹⁴ So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.

4 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,^[a] stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.

¹⁰ I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.

¹⁵ I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.

³¹ God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.

¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece^[a] will ever stop me from boasting about this.