for he long'd to see you all, and was greatly concern'd, that you should hear he was sick. and indeed he was sick almost unto death:

For in fact he was ill almost to death: but God had mercy on him; and not only on him but on me, so that I might not have grief on grief.

since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.