2 Corinthians 13
Complete Jewish Bible
13 This will be the third time that I have come to visit you. Any charge must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.[a] 2 To those who sinned in the past and to the rest I say beforehand while absent the same thing I said when I was with you the second time: if I come again I will not spare you — 3 since you are looking for proof of the Messiah speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but he is powerful among you. 4 For although he was executed on a stake in weakness, now he lives by God’s power. And we too are weak in union with him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by God’s power.
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living the life of trust. Test yourselves. Don’t you realize that Yeshua the Messiah is in you? — unless you fail to pass the test. 6 But I hope you will realize that we are not failures. 7 And we pray to God that you will do nothing wrong. We are not concerned with our appearing successful, but with your doing what is right, even if we appear to be failures. 8 For we cannot act against the truth, only for it. 9 So we rejoice whenever we are weak and you are strong; indeed, what we pray for is that you become perfect. 10 I write these things while away from you, so that when I am with you I will not have to use my authority to deal sharply with you, for the Lord gave it to me for building up and not for tearing down.
11 And now, brothers, shalom! Put yourselves in order, pay attention to my advice, be of one mind, live in shalom — and the God of love and shalom will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All God’s people send greetings to you.
14 The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah,
the love of God
and the fellowship of the Ruach HaKodesh
be with you all.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 13:1 Deuteronomy 19:15
2 Corinthians 13
New King James Version
Coming with Authority
13 This will be (A)the third time I am coming to you. (B)“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” 2 (C)I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent [a]I write to those (D)who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again (E)I will not spare— 3 since you seek a proof of Christ (F)speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty (G)in you. 4 (H)For though He was crucified in weakness, yet (I)He lives by the power of God. For (J)we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, (K)that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you [b]are (L)disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
Paul Prefers Gentleness
7 Now [c]I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though (M)we may seem disqualified. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad (N)when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, (O)that you may be made complete. 10 (P)Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the (Q)authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.
Greetings and Benediction
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. (R)Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love (S)and peace will be with you.
12 (T)Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 (U)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and (V)the [d]communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 13:2 NU omits I write
- 2 Corinthians 13:5 do not stand the test
- 2 Corinthians 13:7 NU we
- 2 Corinthians 13:14 fellowship
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
