²¹ What do you desire? ^(A)That I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

Reaffirm Your Love

2 But I decided this ^[a]for my own sake, that I ^(A)would not come to you in sorrow again. ² For if I ^(B)cause you sorrow, who then will be the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? ³ This is the very thing I ^(C)wrote you, so that ^(D)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having ^(E)confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all. ⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I ^(F)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.