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13 This is the third time I’m coming to you. “Every charge must be substantiated at the mouth of two or three witnesses.” I said it before when I was with you the second time, and I say it now in advance while I’m away from you, to all those who had sinned previously, and all the others, that when I come back again I won’t spare them— since you are looking for proof of the Messiah who speaks in me, the Messiah who is not weak towards you but powerful in your midst! He was crucified in weakness, you see, but he lives by God’s power. For we too are weak in him, but we shall live with him, for your benefit, by God’s power.

Test yourselves!

Test yourselves to see if you really are in the faith! Put yourselves through the examination. Or don’t you realize that Jesus the Messiah is in you?—unless, that is, you’ve failed the test. I hope you will discover that we didn’t fail the test. But we pray to God that you will never, ever, do anything wrong; not so that we can be shown up as having passed the test, but so that you will do what is right, even if that means that we appear like people who’ve failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We celebrate, you see, when we are weak but you are strong.

This is what we pray for, that you may become complete and get everything in order. 10 That’s why I’m writing this to you while I’m away, so that when I come I won’t have to use my authority to be severe with you. The Lord has given me this authority, after all, not to pull down but to build up.

Grace, love and fellowship

11 All that remains, my dear family, is this: celebrate, put everything in order, strengthen one another, think in the same way, be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with the holy kiss. All God’s people send you their greetings.

13 The grace of Messiah Jesus the Lord, the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you all.

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