³ I do not say this to condemn you, for I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.^(A)

¹¹ We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. ¹² There is no restriction in our affections but only in yours.

⁸ So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the tender affection of Christ Jesus.^{(A) 9} And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight^(B)

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)

¹⁵ I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?^(A)

¹¹ And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!^(A)

¹² So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong but in order that your zeal for us might be made known to you before God.^(A)

² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all,

⁴ For I wrote you out of much distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you grief but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Forgiveness for the Offender

⁵ But if anyone has caused grief, he has caused it not to me but to some extent—not to exaggerate it—to all of you.