12. Truly the signs of an emissary were worked out among you, with patient endurance, by signs and wonders and mighty miracles.
13. For in what respect were you treated worse than the rest of Messiah’s communities—except that I myself did not burden you? Pardon me this injustice!
14. Look, I am ready to come to you this third time, and I will not burden you—for I seek not your possessions, but you! For the children are not obliged to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
16. But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself. Nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you with trickery!
17. I haven’t taken advantage of you through any of those I sent to you, have I?
18. I did urge Titus to visit you, and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn’t take any advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit, in the same footsteps?
19. All along you’ve been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. It is before God that we’ve been speaking in Messiah—and all for building you up, loved ones.
20. For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I may find you not as I wish, or I may be found by you not as you wish—that there may be strife, envy, outbursts of anger, self-seeking disputes, lashon ha-ra , gossip, arrogance, unruly commotions.
21. I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I will mourn for many of those who have sinned before and not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and indecency which they committed.