¹² Brothers and sisters, I became like you. So please become like me. You were very good to me before. ¹³ You know that I came to you the first time because I was sick. That was when I told the Good News to you. ¹⁴ My sickness was a burden to you, but you did not stop showing me respect or make me leave. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel from God. You accepted me as if I were Jesus Christ himself! ¹⁵ You were very happy then. Where is that joy now? I can say without a doubt that you would have done anything to help me. If it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Am I now your enemy because I tell you the truth?

¹⁷ Those people^[a] are working hard to persuade you, but this is not good for you. They want to persuade you to turn against us and work hard for them. ¹⁸ It is good for you to work hard, of course, if it is for something good. That’s something you should do whether I am there or not. ¹⁹ My little children, I am in pain again over you, like a mother giving birth. I will feel this pain until people can look at you and see Christ. ²⁰ I wish I could be with you now. Then maybe I could change the way I am talking to you. Now I don’t know what to do about you.