19 Have you been thinking all along that we were defending ourselves to you? No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.(A) 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and you may not find me to be what you want. Perhaps there will be quarreling,(B) jealousy,(C) angry outbursts, selfish ambitions,(D) slander,(E) gossip, arrogance, and disorder.(F) 21 I fear that when I come my God will again[a] humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented(G) of the moral impurity, sexual immorality,(H) and sensuality(I) they practiced.

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Footnotes

  1. 12:21 Or come again my God will

19 Have you been thinking up to now that we are defending ourselves to you? Actually, we are speaking in the sight of God and in Christ. Dear friends, everything is meant to build you up. 20 I’m afraid that maybe when I come you will be different from the way I want you to be, and that I’ll be different from the way you want me to be. I’m afraid that there might be fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, backstabbing, gossip, conceit, and disorderly conduct. 21 I’m afraid that when I come again, my God may embarrass me in front of you. I might have to go into mourning over all the people who have sinned before and haven’t changed their hearts and lives from what they used to practice: moral corruption, sexual immorality, and doing whatever feels good.

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