2 Corinthians 1:23
“But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn’t come to Corinth to spare you.”
What does 2 Corinthians 1:23 mean?
Paul is making a solemn promise here, calling on God himself to back up what he's about to say. He's telling the Corinthians that when he decided not to visit them yet, it wasn't because he was avoiding a hard conversation or trying to let them off easy. Instead, his decision came from a place of love and concern for their wellbeing, not from fear or avoidance of conflict. By invoking God as his witness, he's emphasizing how seriously he takes both his promise to them and his pastoral responsibility to guide them with honesty rather than comfort alone.