Loving Correction

 1 Cor. 4:21 

Τί θέλετε; ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος;

“What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod [literally, “in a rod” or “in a scepter”, i.e. “in my official position exercising authority over you”] or in love and a sprit of gentleness?”

The rod here is not something used to discipline a person per se, but rather a scepter symbolizing a person’s authority.

For some reason the ESV simply ignores the τε there. But if you’re going to drop a word entirely, you should have a good reason, and there isn’t one here. The τε is a conjunction connecting ἀγάπῃ and πνεύματί, both of which are functioning as objects of the preposition ἐν. 

One of the clear things about Paul in the New Testament is that he does not like exercising his authority in discipline. He will take off the belt and use it if he has to. But he would much rather ask questions and appeal affectionately as a friend and a father to the churches in order that they might correct their behavior, so that harsh discipline is unnecessary.