2 Corinthians 13

1 [In the Scriptures it is stated that when one person] accuses [another of wrongdoing, you must not believe his] accusation [right away]. [First, you must listen to at least] two or three people who actually saw what happened. [So keep in mind that] this will be the third time that I will visit you!

Τρίτον τοῦτο ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐπὶ στόματος δύο μαρτύρων καὶ τριῶν σταθήσεται πᾶν ῥῆμα.

2 When I visited you the second time, I warned you [that I was going to punish all the wrongdoers among you]. [And now] I am [warning you] again while I am still away [from you]. When I visit you this third time, I will punish those who were sinning [at the time when I visited you] before [and who are still sinning], and I will [punish] the others [who have been sinning since then, if they have not stopped their sinful behavior].

προείρηκα καὶ προλέγω ὡς παρὼν τὸ δεύτερον καὶ ἀπὼν ⸀νῦν τοῖς προημαρτηκόσιν καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσιν, ὅτι ἐὰν ἔλθω εἰς τὸ πάλιν οὐ φείσομαι,

3 Because you have demanded that I prove to you that Christ is speaking [to you when] I [speak to you, I will show you that I speak to you as his apostle. Christ] does not approve of your sinful behavior. On the contrary, he will powerfully [discipline you].

ἐπεὶ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ· ὃς εἰς ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀσθενεῖ ἀλλὰ δυνατεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν,

4 [It is true that] Christ [seemed to be] weak when he was crucified {when [people] killed him by nailing him to the cross}. But [it is also true that] he [now] lives because God [worked] powerfully [to bring him back to life. Similarly], as I [serve] God, I also am a weak human [being as Christ was]. But I also [have a close relationship with] Christ [who is now alive again]. And with his [authority] I will use God’s power [to discipline] you.

καὶ ⸀γὰρἐσταυρώθη ἐξ ἀσθενείας, ἀλλὰ ζῇ ἐκ δυνάμεως θεοῦ. καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἀσθενοῦμεν ἐν αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ ⸀ζήσομενσὺν αὐτῷ ἐκ δυνάμεως θεοῦ εἰς ὑμᾶς.

5 Each of you should ask yourself: “[Do I] believe [God’s message about Christ?]” Each of you should [examine yourselves to] make sure that you truly do [believe] in Christ [and so truly belong to him], and that [his Spirit lives] in you [(pl)]. When you examine yourselves [in that way], I am sure that you will [RHQ] say [to me], “Yes, of course we [belong to] Christ.”

Ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε εἰ ἐστὲ ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἑαυτοὺς δοκιμάζετε· ἢ οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκετε ἑαυτοὺς ὅτι ⸂Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐν ⸀ὑμῖν εἰ μήτι ἀδόκιμοί ἐστε.

6 I am [also] certain that you will know that I [belong to Christ, just like you do].

ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμὲν ἀδόκιμοι.

7 But [because I do not want to have to punish you], I am praying to God that he will help you not to do anything evil [that would cause me to have to punish you. I pray this], not in order that when people [who say that I am not your apostle] realize [that my ministry among you has been very successful, they will have to agree] that I do have authority from Christ. Instead, [I pray this because I want] you to do what is right, even though that might mean that [my opponents would think] that I do not have authority from Christ, [since I would not have an opportunity to show my authority to discipline you].

⸀εὐχόμεθαδὲ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν μὴ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς κακὸν μηδέν, οὐχ ἵνα ἡμεῖς δόκιμοι φανῶμεν, ἀλλʼ ἵνα ὑμεῖς τὸ καλὸν ποιῆτε, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἀδόκιμοι ὦμεν.

8 [If you do what is right, I will not discipline you], [because it would] not [be right for me to do that if you are conducting your lives the way you should, like] God’s true [message says that you should. What God asks me to do is to help people to know and obey his] true [message].

οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας.

9 I am happy [whenever] you are strongly [trusting and obeying Christ, and because of that I do not have to use my authority to discipline you. It does not matter to me if that makes people think that I do not have any authority]. Truly, what I am praying for is that [God] will [help] you to completely change your conduct.

χαίρομεν γὰρ ὅταν ἡμεῖς ἀσθενῶμεν, ὑμεῖς δὲ δυνατοὶ ἦτε· ⸀τοῦτοκαὶ εὐχόμεθα, τὴν ὑμῶν κατάρτισιν.

10 That is why I am writing these things while I am still away from you. [What I want is that] when I visit you, [you will already be conducting your lives as God wants you to], and so I will not have to [discipline you] severely, as the [Lord Jesus Christ gave me] the authority to do. The authority that I have from the Lord is to help you to become [spiritually] mature believers, not to cause you to stop [trusting in him].

διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα ἀπὼν γράφω, ἵνα παρὼν μὴ ἀποτόμως χρήσωμαι κατὰ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἣν ⸂ὁ κύριος ἔδωκέν μοι, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν.

11 Finally, my fellow believers, [I say to you], be joyful. Completely [change how you conduct your lives], and do what I have urged you [to do]. Be united in what you think [about the matters about which I have written to you]. Live peacefully [with each other. If you do those things], God, who [enables you to] love [each other] and be peaceful, will bless [MTY] you.

Λοιπόν, ἀδελφοί, χαίρετε, καταρτίζεσθε, παρακαλεῖσθε, τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖτε, εἰρηνεύετε, καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ εἰρήνης ἔσται μεθʼ ὑμῶν.

12 Greet each other affectionately as [fellow members] of God’s family [should].

ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν ἁγίῳ φιλήματι.

13 All God’s people [here] send you greetings.

ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἅγιοι πάντες.

14 [I pray that] the Lord Jesus Christ will act kindly [toward] all of you, in ways that you do not deserve, that God will [show all of you how much he] loves you, and that the Holy Spirit [will cause you to have good] fellowship [with him and with each other].

ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μετὰ πάντων ⸀ὑμῶν