2 Corinthians 2:3

What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.

For to this end also I wrote, so that I might know your proven character, whether you are obedient in all things.

So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be manifested to you in the sight of God.

I rejoice that in everything I am encouraged about you.

For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances.

For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view. But the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.