²³ But ^(A)I call God to witness against me—it was ^(B)to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.

²⁰ For I fear that perhaps ^(A)when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. ²¹ I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those ^(B)who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, ^(C)sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

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