2 Corinthians 13

1 This third time, am I coming unto you: —at the mouth of two witnesses, or three, shall every matter be established.

This is the third time I am coming to you. Every matter must be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses.

2 I have said beforehand, and do say beforehand, —as present the second time, although now absent, unto them who before sinned, and unto all the rest, —that, if I come again, I will not spare.

I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I am giving this written warning while absent: If I come again I will not spare those who sinned previously or any of the others,

3 Since, a test, ye are seeking, of the speaking in me of Christ; —who, unto you, is not weak, but is powerful in you, —

since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

4 For, although he was crucified through weakness, yet is he living through God’s power, —for, although, we, are weak in him, yet shall we live with him, through God’s power [unto us]—

For though he was crucified in weakness, he lives by the power of God. Now we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

5 Be trying, yourselves, whether ye are in the faith, be putting, yourselves, to the test! Or do ye not recognise yourselves, seeing that, Jesus Christ, is in you, —unless perhaps ye fail in the testing.

Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith; test yourselves. Or do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, of course, you fail to meet the test.

6 I hope, however, that ye shall come to know, that, we, fail not in the testing!

But I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test.

7 But we pray unto God, that ye may do nothing base, —not that, we, may appear, accepted, but that, ye, the honourable thing, may be doing, even though, we, should be, as it were, rejected;

I pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that we may appear to have met the test, but so that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to have failed.

8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth;

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

9 For we rejoice—whensoever, we, are weak, and, ye, are, strong. This, also we pray for—your restoration: —

We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong, and we pray for your restoration.

10 For this cause, these things, while absent, am I writing, that I may not, when present, deal sharply—according to the authority which, the Lord, hath given me, for building up and not for pulling down.

The reason I am writing these things to you while I am absent is so that, when I am present, I will not need to be harsh in my use of authority, which the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

11 Finally, brethren, farewell! Be getting restored, be taking encouragement, be of one mind, live in peace, —and, the God of love and peace, will be with you.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be comforted, be of the same mind, and live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

12 Salute ye one another with a holy kiss.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13 All the saints, salute you.

All the saints greet you.

14 The favour of our Lord Jesus [Christ], and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

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