3 That is why I wrote that letter to you — I did not want to come to you and be made sad by the very people who should make me glad. For I am convinced that when I am happy, then all of you are happy too.
4 I wrote to you with a greatly troubled and distressed heart and with many tears; my purpose was not to make you sad, but to make you realize how much I love you all.
5 Now, if anyone has made somebody sad, he has not done it to me but to all of you — in part at least. (I say this because I do not want to be too hard on him.)
6 It is enough that this person has been punished in this way by most of you.
7 Now, however, you should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely.
8 And so I beg you to let him know that you really do love him.
9 I wrote you that letter because I wanted to find out how well you had stood the test and whether you are always ready to obey my instructions.