18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But ^rI will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God ^sdoes not consist in ^ttalk but ^uin power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love ^vin a spirit of gentleness?

23 But ^eI call God to witness against me—^fit was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.

1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For ^hif I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And ⁱI wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for ^jI felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come ^jI may not have to be severe in my use of ^kthe authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.