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

² I have previously said when I was present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have ^(A)sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that ^(B)if I come again I will not ^(C)spare anyone,

¹⁰ For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present ^(A)I need not use ^(B)severity, in accordance with the ^(C)authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.