Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(A) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a](B) even though I am nothing.^{(C) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(D) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(E) Forgive me this wrong!^(F)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(G) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(H) but parents for their children.^{(I) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(J) If I love you more,^(K) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(L) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷ Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged^(M) Titus^(N) to go to you and I sent our brother^(O) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(P) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(Q) is for your strengthening.^{(R) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(S) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(T) I fear that there may be discord,^(U) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(V) slander,^(W) gossip,^(X) arrogance^(Y) and disorder.^{(Z) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(AA) over many who have sinned earlier^(AB) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(AC) in which they have indulged.

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.^(AD) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”^{[b](AE) 2} I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:^(AF) On my return I will not spare^(AG) those who sinned earlier^(AH) or any of the others, ³ since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.^(AI) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,^(AJ) yet he lives by God’s power.^(AK) Likewise, we are weak^(AL) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him^(AM) in our dealing with you.

⁵ Examine yourselves^(AN) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.^(AO) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you^(AP)—unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶ And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. ⁷ Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ We are glad whenever we are weak^(AQ) but you are strong;^(AR) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.^{(AS) 10} This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh^(AT) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.^(AU)