What I wrote to you I wrote for a special reason. When I came, I didn’t want to be troubled by those who should make me glad. I was sure that all of you would share my joy.

我曾把这事写给你们，恐怕我到的时候，应该叫我快乐的那些人，反倒叫我忧愁。我也深信，你们众人都以我的快乐为自己的快乐。

我曾把这事写给你们，免得我到的时候，那该令我喜乐的人反倒令我悲伤。我也深信，你们众人都以我的喜乐为自己的喜乐。

我曾把这事写给你们，免得我到的时候，那该令我喜乐的人反倒令我悲伤。我也深信，你们众人都以我的喜乐为自己的喜乐。

我曾为这事写信给你们，免得我到你们那里时，那些本该使我喜乐的人反而使我忧伤。我也深信你们会以我的喜乐为你们的喜乐。

我写了这样的信，免得我来的时候，应该使我快乐的人反而使我忧愁；我深信你们众人都以我的喜乐为你们的喜乐。

我写了那封信，免得我来的时候，那些本应该使我喜乐的人使我忧伤，因为我深信你们大家以我的喜乐为你们大家的喜乐。

我曾把這事寫給你們，恐怕我到的時候，應該叫我快樂的那些人，反倒叫我憂愁。我也深信，你們眾人都以我的快樂為自己的快樂。

我曾把這事寫給你們，免得我到的時候，那該令我喜樂的人反倒令我悲傷。我也深信，你們眾人都以我的喜樂為自己的喜樂。

我曾把這事寫給你們，免得我到的時候，那該令我喜樂的人反倒令我悲傷。我也深信，你們眾人都以我的喜樂為自己的喜樂。

我曾為這事寫信給你們，免得我到你們那裡時，那些本該使我喜樂的人反而使我憂傷。我也深信你們會以我的喜樂為你們的喜樂。

我寫了這樣的信，免得我來的時候，應該使我快樂的人反而使我憂愁；我深信你們眾人都以我的喜樂為你們的喜樂。

而我所寫的正是要避免我來到時、該叫我喜歡的人反而讓我憂愁；我深信你們眾人，我準知道我的喜樂就是你們自己的喜樂。

我寫了那封信，免得我來的時候，那些本應該使我喜樂的人使我憂傷，因為我深信你們大家以我的喜樂為你們大家的喜樂。

昔特書此、恐我來時所當使我樂者、反令我憂、蓋我深信爾眾以我樂為樂也、

昔我以書達爾、恐來時所當使我樂者、轉令我憂耳、蓋我樂即爾樂、吾知之素矣、

蓋我深知爾眾以我之樂為己之樂、

此點吾在前書中亦曾提及、以免吾來之時、應使我歡欣鼓舞者、反貽我以憂戚耳。且吾固深信爾等莫不以吾之樂為樂也。

I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy.

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful.

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.

This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all.

And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

And I wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

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.

And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is[ the joy] of you all.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

The Lord makes me certain that you will see the truth of this. The one who has gotten you all mixed up will have to pay the price. This will happen no matter who has done it.

We are also sending another one of our brothers with them. He has often proved to us in many ways that he is very committed. He is now even more committed because he has great faith in you.

I’m sure you will obey. So I’m writing to you. I know you will do even more than I ask.

I’m afraid that when I come again my God will put me to shame in front of you. Then I will be sad about many who sinned earlier and have not turned away from it. They have not turned away from uncleanness, sexual sins and wild living. They have done all those things.This will be my third visit to you. Scripture says,“ Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.”( Deuteronomy 19:15)I already warned you during my second visit. I now say it again while I’m away. When I return, I won’t spare those who sinned earlier. I won’t spare any of the others either.

Even if my letter made you sad, I’m not sorry I sent it. At first I was sorry. I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while.

Because I was sure of this, I wanted to visit you first. Here is how I thought you would be helped twice.

We trust in the Lord. So we are sure that you are doing the things we tell you to do. And we are sure that you will keep on doing them.

Which do you want? Should I come to you to correct and punish you? Or should I come in love and with a gentle spirit?It is actually reported that there is sexual sin among you. I’m told that a man is sleeping with his father’s wife. Even people who don’t know God don’t let that kind of sin continue.And you are proud! Shouldn’t you be very sad instead? Shouldn’t you have thrown out of your church the man doing this?Even though I am not right there with you, I am with you in spirit. And because I am with you in spirit, I have already judged the man doing this. I have judged him in the name of our Lord Jesus.So when you come together, I will be with you in spirit. The power of our Lord Jesus will also be with you.When you come together like this, hand this man over to Satan. Then the power of sin in his life will be destroyed. His spirit will be saved on the day the Lord returns.Your bragging is not good. It is like yeast. Don’t you know that just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise?Get rid of the old yeast. Then you can be like a new batch of dough without yeast. That is what you really are. That’s because Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been offered up for us.So let us keep the Feast, but not with the old bread made with yeast. The yeast I’m talking about is hatred and evil. Let us keep the Feast with bread made without yeast. Let us keep it with bread that is honesty and truth.I wrote a letter to you to tell you to stay away from people who commit sexual sins.I didn’t mean the people of this world who sin in this way. I didn’t mean those who always want more and more. I didn’t mean those who cheat or who worship statues of gods. In that case you would have to leave this world!But here is what I am writing to you now. You must stay away from anyone who claims to be a believer but does evil things. Stay away from anyone who commits sexual sins. Stay away from anyone who always wants more and more things. Stay away from anyone who worships statues of gods. Stay away from anyone who tells lies about others. Stay away from anyone who gets drunk or who cheats. Don’t even eat with people like these.Is it my business to judge those outside the church? Aren’t you supposed to judge those inside the church?God will judge those outside. Scripture says,“ Get rid of that evil person!”( Deuteronomy 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21, 24; 24:7)

So even though I wrote to you, it wasn’t because of the one who did the wrong. It wasn’t because of the one who was hurt either. Instead, I wrote you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how faithful you are to us.

But God comforts those who are sad. He comforted us when Titus came.

I have made a fool of myself. But you made me do it. You should have praised me. Even though I am nothing, I am in no way less important than the“ super- apostles.”