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Paul’s Final Advice

13 This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”[a]). I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that next time I will not spare them.

I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you[b]; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.

We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.

10 I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.

Paul’s Final Greetings

11 Dear brothers and sisters,[c] I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

12 Greet each other with a sacred kiss. 13 All of God’s people here send you their greetings.

14 [d]May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 13:1 Deut 19:15.
  2. 13:5 Or in you.
  3. 13:11 Greek Brothers.
  4. 13:14 Some English translations include verse 13 as part of verse 12, and then verse 14 becomes verse 13.

Final Warnings and Exhortations

13 This is the third time I am coming to you.(A) Every fact must be established by the testimony[a] of two or three witnesses.(B)[b] I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning(C) while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again, I will not be lenient, since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me.(D) He is not weak toward you, but powerful among you. In fact, He was crucified(E) in weakness, but He lives(F) by God’s power. For we also are weak in Him,(G) yet toward you we will live(H) with Him by God’s power.

Test(I) yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test.[c] And I hope you will recognize that we do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong—not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right,(J) even though we may appear to fail. For we are not able to do anything against the truth,(K) but only for the truth. In fact, we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong.(L) We also pray that you become fully mature.[d] 10 This is why I am writing these things while absent, that when I am there I will not use severity, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up(M) and not for tearing down.(N)

11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind,(O) be at peace,(P) and the God of love(Q) and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(R) All the saints greet you.

13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love(S) of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.[e](T)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Lit mouth
  2. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Dt 17:6; 19:15
  3. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Or you are disqualified, or you are counterfeit
  4. 2 Corinthians 13:9 Or become complete, or be restored
  5. 2 Corinthians 13:13 Some translations divide these 2 vv. into 3 vv. so that v. 13 begins with All the saints . . . and v. 14 begins with The grace of . . .

Final Warnings

13 (A)This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established (B)by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (C)I warned (D)those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that (E)if I come again I will not spare them— since you seek proof that Christ (F)is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but (G)is powerful among you. For (H)he was crucified in weakness, but (I)lives by the power of God. For (J)we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you (K)we will live with him by the power of God.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. (L)Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that (M)Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when (N)we are weak and you are strong. Your (O)restoration is what we pray for. 10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come (P)I may not have to be (Q)severe in my use of (R)the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Final Greetings

11 Finally, brothers,[a] rejoice. (S)Aim for restoration, comfort one another,[b] (T)agree with one another, (U)live in peace; and the God of love and (V)peace will be with you. 12 (W)Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 (X)All the saints greet you.

14 (Y)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and (Z)the love of God and (AA)the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Or brothers and sisters
  2. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Or listen to my appeal

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.(A) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”[a](B) I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:(C) On my return I will not spare(D) those who sinned earlier(E) or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.(F) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,(G) yet he lives by God’s power.(H) Likewise, we are weak(I) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him(J) in our dealing with you.

Examine yourselves(K) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.(L) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you(M)—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak(N) but you are strong;(O) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.(P) 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh(Q) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.(R)

Final Greetings

11 Finally, brothers and sisters,(S) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.(T) And the God of love(U) and peace(V) will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(W) 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.(X)

14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,(Y) and the love of God,(Z) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit(AA) be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Deut. 19:15

13 This houtos will be my third triton visit erchomai to pros you hymeis. On epi the evidence stoma of two dyo or kai three treis witnesses martys every pas accusation rhēma is to be confirmed histēmi. I said before when hōs I was with pareimi you the ho second time deuteros, and kai now nyn, though absent apeimi, I say ahead of time prolegō · kai to those ho who have sinned previously proamartanō and kai to all pas the ho rest loipos, that hoti if ean I come erchomai · ho again palin I will not ou spare pheidomai anyone, since epei you seek zēteō proof dokimē that ho Christ Christos is speaking laleō through en me egō. He hos is astheneō not ou weak astheneō toward eis you hymeis but alla is powerful dynateō among en you hymeis. For gar indeed kai he was crucified stauroō in ek weakness astheneia, but alla he lives zaō by ek the power dynamis of God theos. For gar indeed kai we hēmeis are weak astheneō in en him autos, but alla we will live zaō with syn him autos by ek the power dynamis of God theos toward eis you hymeis.

Examine peirazō yourselves heautou to see if ei you are eimi in en the ho faith pistis. Test dokimazō yourselves heautou. Or ē do you not ou realize epiginōskō about yourselves heautou, that hoti Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos is in en you hymeis?— unless ei, of course mēti, you fail the test adokimos! And de I hope elpizō that hoti you will find ginōskō out that hoti we hēmeis do not ou fail the test eimi! Now de we pray euchomai to pros · ho God theos that you hymeis may not do poieō anything mēdeis wrong kakos, not ou that hina we hēmeis would appear phainō as having passed the test dokimos, but alla that hina you hymeis may do poieō what ho is right kalos even though de we hēmeis may appear eimi as hōs having failed adokimos. For gar we are not ou able dynamai to do anything tis against kata the ho truth alētheia, but alla only for hyper the ho truth alētheia. For gar we rejoice chairō whenever hotan we hēmeis are weak astheneō, but de you hymeis are eimi strong dynatos. And kai this houtos is what we pray for euchomai, · ho your hymeis Christian maturity katartisis. 10 Therefore dia houtos I write graphō these houtos things while I am absent apeimi, so that hina when I am present pareimi I may chraomai not have to treat chraomai you harshly apotomōs according kata to the ho authority exousia which hos the ho Lord kyrios gave didōmi me egō for eis building oikodomē up and kai not ou tearing down kathairesis.

11 Finally loipos, brothers adelphos, rejoice chairō, strive katartizō for maturity , take courage parakaleō, · ho be like-minded autos, live eirēneuō in peace ; and kai the ho God theos of ho love agapē and kai peace eirēnē will be eimi with meta you hymeis. 12 Greet aspazomai one allēlōn another with en a holy hagios kiss philēma. All pas the ho saints hagios send you hymeis their greetings aspazomai. 13 The ho grace charis of the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos and kai the ho love agapē of ho God theos and kai the ho fellowship koinōnia of the ho Holy hagios Spirit pneuma be with meta you hymeis all pas.