2 Corinthians 13

1 I come to you this third time; on the mouth of two or three witnesses will every saying be established;

This is the third time that I am coming to you. “Every accusation must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

2 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,

I have already said to those who sinned before and to all the rest when I was there the second time, and I say it again: When I come again, I will not spare them.

3 since you seek a proof of the Christ speaking in me, who is not weak to you, but is powerful in you,

I tell you this because you are looking for evidence that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you. Instead, he is powerful in you.

4 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.

For he was crucified in weakness, but he is alive by God's power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him by the power of God among you.

5 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?

Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you have failed the test.

6 And I hope that you will know that we are not disapproved of;

And I trust that you will recognize that we have not failed the test.

7 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;

Now we pray to God that you may not do any wrong. I do not pray that we may appear to have passed the test. Instead, I pray that you may do what is right, although we may seem to have failed the test.

8 for we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth;

For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

9 for we rejoice when we may be weak, but you may be powerful; and we also pray for this—your perfection!

For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray that you may be made complete.

10 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.

I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I am with you I do not have to deal harshly with you in the use of my authority—which the Lord gave to me, so that I may build you up, and not tear you down.

11 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.

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Work for restoration, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

12 Greet one another in a holy kiss.

Greet each other with a holy kiss.

13 All the holy ones greet you.

All of the believers greet you.

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, [is] with you all! Amen.

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