Now we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely—

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.

For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.

I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone.

Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts,

by the message of truth,
by the power of God;
through weapons of righteousness
on the right hand and the left,

So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your diligence for us might be made plain to you in the sight of God.

Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you.

Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong—not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.