But I callGodas witnessto my soul,that to spareyou I did not comeagainto Corinth.
Afterthese thingshe leftAthensand wentto Corinth.
Crispus,the leader of the synagogue,believedin the Lordwith allhis household,and manyof the Corinthianswhen they heardwere believingand being baptized.
For God,whomI servein my spiritin the [preaching of the] gospelof His Son,is my witness[as to] howunceasinglyI makementionof you,
I am tellingthe truthin Christ,I am not lying,my consciencetestifieswith me in the HolySpirit,
Whatdo you desire?Shall I cometo you with a rod,orwith loveand a spiritof gentleness?
[I have decided] to deliversuch a oneto Satanfor the destructionof his flesh,sothat his spiritmay be savedin the dayof the LordJesus.
Paul,an apostleof ChristJesusby the willof God,and Timothy[our] brother,To the churchof Godwhich is at Corinthwith allthe saintswho are throughoutAchaia:
But as Godis faithful,our wordto you is not yesand no.
I askthat when I am presentI [need] not be boldwith the confidencewith whichI proposeto be courageousagainstsome,who regardus as ifwe walkedaccordingto the flesh.
As the truthof Christis in me, thisboastingof minewill not be stoppedin the regionsof Achaia.
Why?BecauseI do not loveyou? Godknows[I do]!
The Godand Fatherof the LordJesus,He who is blessedforever,knowsthat I am not lying.
For I am afraidthat perhapswhen I comeI may findyou to be not whatI wishand may be foundby you to be not whatyou wish;that perhaps[there will be] strife,jealousy,angry tempers,disputes,slanders,gossip,arrogance,disturbances;
For thisreasonI am writingthese thingswhile absent,sothat when presentI [need] not useseverity,in accordancewith the authoritywhichthe Lordgaveme for buildingup and not for tearing down.
I have previously saidwhenpresentthe second time,and though nowabsentI say in advanceto thosewho have sinned in the pastand to allthe rest[as well], that ifI comeagainI will not spare[anyone],
in purity,in knowledge,in patience,in kindness,in the HolySpirit,in genuinelove,
(Nowin whatI am writingto you, I assureyou beforeGodthat I am not lying.)
For Godis my witness,howI longfor you allwith the affectionof ChristJesus.
For we nevercamewith flatteringspeech,as you know,norwith a pretextfor greed--Godis witness--
Among theseare Hymenaeusand Alexander,whomI have handed overto Satan,sothat they will be taughtnot to blaspheme.