And I wrote this same epistle unto you, lest if I came, I should take heaviness of them, of whom I ought to rejoice. Certainly this confidence have I in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

If any man hath caused sorrow, the same hath not made me sorry: but partly - lest I should grieve - you all.

So that now contrariwise ye ought to forgive him and comfort him: lest that same person should be swallowed up with overmuch heaviness.

lest Satan should prevent us. For his thoughts are not unknown unto us.

in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest should shine unto them the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God.

Nevertheless, yet have I sent these brethren, lest our rejoicing over you should be in vain in this behalf, and that ye - as I have said - prepare yourselves,

lest peradventure if they of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared, the boast that I made in this matter should be a shame to us: I say not unto you.

This say I, lest I should seem as though I went about to make you afraid with letters.

But I fear, lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, even so your wits should be corrupt from the singleness that is in Christ.

I say again, lest any man think that I am foolish: or else even now take me as a fool, that I may boast myself a little.

and yet though I would rejoice I should not be a fool, for I would say the truth. Nevertheless I spare, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth me to be, or heareth of me.

And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me of God unquietness of the flesh: the messenger of Satan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure.

I will very gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your souls: though the more I love you, the less I am loved again.

For I fear, lest it come to pass, that when I come I shall not find you such as I would: and I shall be found unto you such as I would not. I fear lest there be found among you debate, envying, wrath, strife, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, and discord.

I fear lest when I come again, God bring me low among you, and I be constrained to bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed.

Therefore write I these things being absent, lest when I am present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me, to edify, and not to destroy.