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19 I hope you don’t think that all this time we’ve been defending ourselves to you. We come as the voice of the Anointed; God will judge whether all our work has been useful in building you up, beloved. 20 And quite honestly, I am afraid that when I come, we may both be disappointed with what we find; in my fear, my thoughts go from bad to worse—into a drama of friction, rivalry, fevered tempers and fists, selfishness, slander, defamation, pride, and complete chaos. 21 I am worried that when I come to visit that my God will humble me somehow before you, that I will have to grieve over all those who have sinned before and then refused to turn away[a] from their addictions to impure practices, immoral sex, and reckless perversions.

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Footnotes

  1. 12:21 Literally, repent

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God(A) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,(B) is for your strengthening.(C) 20 For I am afraid that when I come(D) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.(E) I fear that there may be discord,(F) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,(G) slander,(H) gossip,(I) arrogance(J) and disorder.(K) 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved(L) over many who have sinned earlier(M) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery(N) in which they have indulged.

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19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

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