2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4

Expanded Bible

²³ Now I ·ask [call on; appeal to] God to be my witness ·that this is true [or staking my life on it; ^Lagainst my soul/life; ^Ca very serious vow or oath]: The reason I did not come back to Corinth was to ·keep you from being punished or hurt [^Lspare you]. ²⁴ We are not trying to ·control [rule; lord it over] your faith. You ·are strong [stand firm; are well established] in faith. But we are workers with you for your own joy.

2 So I decided that my next visit to you would not be another ·one to make you sad [painful/sorrowful one; ^CPaul’s first visit (1:16; 1 Cor. 16:5) had resulted in conflict, rejection, and hurt feelings]. ² If I ·make you sad [cause you pain/sorrow], who will make me glad? Only you can make me glad—·particularly the person [or those] whom I made sad [^Ceither the church generally, or a particular opponent (vv. 5–10)]. ³ I wrote you a letter for this reason: that when I came to you I would not be made ·sad [sorrowful] by the people who should ·make me happy [bring me joy; ^CPaul wrote a severe letter (now lost) after his painful visit (v. 1) to call the church to repentance]. I felt sure of all of you, that you would share my joy. ⁴ When I wrote to you before [v. 3], I was very ·troubled [distressed] and ·unhappy [anguished] in my heart, and I wrote with many tears. I did not write to make you ·sad [sorrowful], but to let you know how much I love you.