1. In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit.
2. For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me?
3. I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours.
4. For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart — not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
5. If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree — not to exaggerate — to all of you.
6. The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person.
7. As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief.
8. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9. I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.
10. If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven — if I have forgiven anything — it is for you in the presence of Christ.
11. I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.