2 Corinthians 13

1 Lo this is the thirde time that I come vnto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery worde stand

For the third time I am coming to see you. By the word of two or three witnesses each statement will be established.

2 I tolde you before, and tell you before: as though I had bene present the seconde time, so write I nowe being absent to them which heretofore haue sinned and to all others, that if I come againe, I will not spare,

I have said it, and I say it again before I come, just as if I were with you on my second visit, though for the moment absent, I say to those who have been long sinning, as well as to all others – that if I come again, I will spare no one.

3 Seeing that ye seeke experience of Christ, that speaketh in mee, which towarde you is not weake, but is mightie in you.

And that will be the proof, which you are looking for, that the Christ speaks through me. There is no weakness in his dealings with you. No, he shows his power among you.

4 For though hee was crucified concerning his infirmitie, yet liueth hee through the power of God. And wee no doubt are weake in him, but we shall liue with him, through the power of God towarde you.

For though his crucifixion was due to weakness, his life is due to the power of God. And we, also, are weak in his weakness, but with him we will live for you through the power of God.

5 Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith: examine your selues: knowe yee not your owne selues, howe that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Put yourselves to the test, to see whether you are holding to the faith. Examine yourselves. Surely you recognise this fact about yourselves – that Jesus Christ is in you! Unless indeed you cannot stand the test!

6 But I trust that ye shall knowe that wee are not reprobates.

But I hope that you will recognise that we can stand the test.

7 Nowe I pray vnto God that yee doe none euill, not that we should seeme approued, but that ye should doe that which is honest: though we be as reprobates.

We pray to God that you may do nothing wrong, not that we may be seen to stand the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem not to stand the test.

8 For wee can not doe any thing against the trueth, but for the trueth.

We have no power at all against the truth, but we have power in the service of the truth.

9 For we are glad when wee are weake, and that ye are strong: this also we wish for, euen your perfection.

We are glad when we are weak, if you are strong. And what we pray for is that you may become perfect.

10 Therefore write I these thinges being absent, least when I am present, I should vse sharpenesse, according to the power which the Lord hath giuen mee, to edification, and not to destruction.

This is my reason for writing as I am now doing, while I am away from you, so that, when I am with you, I may not act harshly in the exercise of the authority which the Lord gave me – and gave me for building up and not for pulling down.

11 Finally brethren, fare ye well: be perfect: be of good comfort: be of one minde: liue in peace, and the God of loue and peace shalbe with you.

And now, friends, goodbye. Aim at perfection; take courage; agree together; live in peace. And then God, the source of all love and peace, will be with you.

12 Greete one another with an holy kisse.

Greet one another with a sacred kiss.

13 All the Saintes salute you.

All Christ’s people here send you their greetings.

14 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the loue of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all, Amen. ‘The seconde Epistle to the Corinthians, written from Philippi, a citie in Macedonia, and sent by Titus and Lucas.’

May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion with the Holy Spirit, be with you all.