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Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith. If you pass the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you. But if Christ isn't living in you, you have failed. I hope you will discover we have not failed. We pray you will stop doing evil things. We don't pray like this to make ourselves look good, but to get you to do right, even if we are failures.

All we can do is to follow the truth and not fight against it. Even though we are weak, we are glad that you are strong, and we pray you will do even better. 10 I am writing these things to you before I arrive. This way I won't have to be hard on you when I use the authority the Lord has given me. I was given this authority, so I could help you and not destroy you.

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Examine yourselves(A) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.(B) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you(C)—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(D) but you are strong;(E) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.(F) 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh(G) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.(H)

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11 Goodbye, my friends. Do better and pay attention to what I have said. Try to get along and live peacefully with each other.

Now I pray that God, who gives love and peace, will be with you. 12 Give each other a warm greeting. All God's people send their greetings.

13 I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and be kind to you! May God bless you with his love, and may the Holy Spirit join all your hearts together.

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Final Greetings

11 Finally, brothers and sisters,(A) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.(B) And the God of love(C) and peace(D) will be with you.

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

14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,(G) and the love of God,(H) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit(I) be with you all.

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