^2 (A)I warned ^(B)those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that ^(C)if I come again I will not spare them—

²³ But ^(A)I call God to witness against me—it was ^(B)to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.

¹⁰ For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come ^(A)I may not have to be ^(B)severe in my use of ^(C)the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

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

⁸ For even if I boast a little too much of ^(A)our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. ⁹ I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. ¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but ^(B)his bodily presence is weak, and ^(C)his speech of no account.” ¹¹ Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.

Paul Defends His Ministry

10 ^(A)I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the ^(B)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— ² I beg of you ^(C)that when I am present I may not have to show ^(D)boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.

⁵ you are ^(A)to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so ^(B)that his spirit may be saved ^(C)in the day of the Lord.^[a]

¹⁹ But ^(A)I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. ²⁰ For ^(B)the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. ²¹ What do you wish? ^(C)Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?