< 2 Corinthians 13 >

1 This is my third visit to you. “Any charge must be verified by two or three witnesses.”
I come to you this third time; on the mouth of two or three witnesses will every saying be established;
2 I already warned those of you who were sinning when I visited the second time. Even though I'm not there, I'm warning them again—and all the rest of you—that when I visit I won't hesitate to act against them,
I have said before, and I say [it] before, as being present, the second time, and being absent, now, I write to those having sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare,
3 since you're demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in the way he relates to you; rather he works powerfully among you.
since you seek a proof of the Christ speaking in me, who is not weak to you, but is powerful in you,
4 Even though he was crucified in weakness, now he lives through the power of God. We too are weak in him, but you will see that we live with him through the power of God.
for even if He was crucified from weakness, yet He lives from the power of God; for we also are weak in Him, but we will live with Him from the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselves to see if you are trusting God. Put yourselves to the test. Don't you yourselves realize that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless you have failed the test…
Try yourselves, if you are in the faith; prove yourselves; do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, if you are not disapproved of in some respect?
6 However, I hope that you realize that we have not failed the test.
And I hope that you will know that we are not disapproved of;
7 We pray to God that you won't do anything bad—not so we can show we passed the test, but so you can do what is good, even if we appear to be failures.
and I pray before God that you do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is right, and we may be as disapproved;
8 We can't do anything against the truth, only for the truth.
for we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth;
9 We're happy when we are weak, and you are strong—we pray that you may continue to improve.
for we rejoice when we may be weak, but you may be powerful; and we also pray for this—your perfection!
10 That is why I write about this while I'm not with you, so that when I am with you I won't have to treat you harshly by imposing my authority. The Lord gave me authority for building up, not for tearing down.
Because of this, these things—being absent—I write, that being present, I may not treat [any] sharply, according to the authority that the LORD gave me for building up, and not for casting down.
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, I say goodbye. Continue to improve spiritually. Encourage one another. Be in agreement. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
From now on, brothers, rejoice; be made perfect, be comforted, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet each other with Christian affection.
Greet one another in a holy kiss.
13 All the believers here send their greetings.
All the holy ones greet you.
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, [is] with you all! Amen.

< 2 Corinthians 13 >