I’m confident in the Lord that you won’t see this any other way. The people who are getting you so confused will be punished for that, no matter who they are.
I wrote the way I did so that when I came, you wouldn’t make me sad when you’re supposed to make me happy. I was sure that you would all want the same things I wanted.
The people in Jerusalem who were considered to be important didn’t add anything to my message. (And it didn’t matter to me who they were anyway. God doesn’t see some people as more important than others.)
That question came up because some false believers had slipped in among us to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves again.
That’s why I’m writing these things now, while I’m away. Then when I do come, I won’t have to use my authority and be hard on you. The Lord gave me that authority to build you up, not to tear you down.
When I come to see you, please don’t make me be as severe as I expect I’ll need to be toward some people who think I live in the same way as the people of this world.
We’re also sending another one of our brothers with these two. This man has often proved to us in many ways how committed he is. He’s even more committed now because he has great confidence in you.