Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

²³ And I call-upon God as witness for my soul that sparing^[a] you I no longer came to Corinth— ²⁴ not that we are lording-over your faith, but we are fellow-workers of ^[b] your joy. For you stand in^[c] your faith^[d].

For I Did Not Want My Coming To Cause You Grief, So I Wrote To You Instead

2 For I determined this for myself: not to come to you again^[e] in grief. ² For if I grieve you, who indeed is the one cheering me except the one being grieved by me? ³ And I wrote this very^[f] thing in order that having come, I should not have grief from the ones of whom I ought-to-have rejoicing— having confidence in you all that my joy^[g] is the joy of you all.

I Wrote To You In Anguish Not To Grieve You, But Out of Love For You

⁴ For I wrote to you through many tears, out of much affliction and anguish of heart— not that you might be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you. ⁵ But^[h] if anyone has caused-grief, he has grieved not me, but in part^[i] (that I not be a burden^[j]), you all. ⁶ This^[k] punishment by the majority is sufficient^[l] for such a one, ⁷ so that on-the-contrary^[m], instead you should forgive and comfort him, that such a one should not somehow be swallowed-up by more grief. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to confirm^[n] your love for him.

I Also Wrote To Test Your Obedience To God

⁹ For I also wrote for this purpose: that I might know your approvedness, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰ And to whom you are forgiving anything, I also. For indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, is for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ in order that we may not be exploited by Satan. For we are not unaware as to his schemes.