結尾的警告與勸勉

13 這是我第三次到你們那裡去。「任何事,憑兩個或三個見證人的口,才能成立。」[a] 我先前說過了,現在雖然我不在你們那裡,還要像第二次在你們那裡的時候一樣,預先警告那些從前犯了罪的人和所有其餘的人:我如果再來,不會顧惜! 這是因為你們尋找基督在我裡面說話的憑證。基督對你們並不是軟弱的;相反,他在你們中間是有大能的。 實際上,基督雖然在軟弱中被釘十字架,但他卻在神的大能中活著。的確,我們雖然在基督裡也軟弱,但為了你們,我們卻在神的大能中,將要與基督一同活著。

你們要察驗自己是否在信仰中,要考驗自己。難道你們不了解耶穌基督在你們裡面嗎?除非你們是經不起考驗的。 但是我希望你們明白,我們不是經不起考驗的。 我們祈求神,使你們不做任何惡事。這不是要顯明我們是經過考驗的,而是要你們行美善的事,就算我們可能像是經不起考驗的。 因為我們做任何事都不能抵擋真理,只能擁護真理。 實際上,當我們軟弱而你們剛強的時候,我們就歡喜;我們還祈求這一點:就是你們得以完全。 10 為此,我不在你們那裡的時候寫了這些事,好讓我來到的時候,不必用主所賜給我的權柄嚴厲地對待你們。這權柄是為了造就人,並不是為了拆毀人。

11 最後,弟兄們,你們要歡喜!願你們得以完全,願你們得到安慰!你們要同心合意,要彼此和睦。這樣,慈愛與平安的神就會與你們同在。 12 你們要用聖潔的親吻禮彼此問候。所有的聖徒都問候你們。

13 願主耶穌基督的恩典、神的慈愛、聖靈的契合[b]與你們大家同在![c][d]

Footnotes

  1. 哥林多後書 13:1 《申命記》17:6;19:15。
  2. 哥林多後書 13:13 契合——或譯作「溝通」或「相通」。
  3. 哥林多後書 13:13 有古抄本附「阿們。」
  4. 哥林多後書 13:13 有譯本把12-13節的經文分成三節「12 你們要用聖潔的親吻禮彼此問候。13 所有的聖徒都問候你們。14 願主耶穌基督的恩典、神的慈愛、聖靈的契合與你們大家同在!」

Paul’s Third Visit to Corinth

13 This is the third time I am coming to visit[a] you. By the testimony[b] of two or three witnesses every matter will be established.[c] I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone,[d] since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He[e] is not weak toward you but is powerful among you. For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God’s power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God’s power toward you. Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test![f] And I hope that you will realize that we have not failed the test![g] Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test,[h] but so that you may do what is right[i] even if we may appear to have failed the test.[j] For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth. For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.[k] 10 Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive[l] I may not have to deal harshly with you[m] by using my authority—the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!

Final Exhortations and Greetings

11 Finally, brothers and sisters,[n] rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 [o] Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship[p] of the Holy Spirit be with you all.[q]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1 tn The word “visit” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
  2. 2 Corinthians 13:1 tn Grk “By the mouth.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 13:1 sn A quotation from Deut 19:15 (also quoted in Matt 18:16; 1 Tim 5:19).
  4. 2 Corinthians 13:2 tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
  5. 2 Corinthians 13:3 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  6. 2 Corinthians 13:5 tn Or “unless indeed you are disqualified.”
  7. 2 Corinthians 13:6 tn Or “that we are not disqualified.”
  8. 2 Corinthians 13:7 tn Or “that we may appear to be approved.”
  9. 2 Corinthians 13:7 tn Or “what is good.”
  10. 2 Corinthians 13:7 tn Or “even if we appear disapproved.”
  11. 2 Corinthians 13:9 tn Or “fully equipped.”
  12. 2 Corinthians 13:10 tn Grk “when I am present,” but in the context of Paul’s third (upcoming) visit to Corinth, this is better translated as “when I arrive.”
  13. 2 Corinthians 13:10 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  14. 2 Corinthians 13:11 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.
  15. 2 Corinthians 13:12 sn The versification of vv. 12 and 13 in the NET (so also NRSV, NLT) is according to the versification in the NA28 and UBS5 editions of the Greek text. Some translations, however, break the material up into three verses, i.e., 12-14 (NKJV, NASB, NIV). The same material has been translated in each case; the only difference is the versification of that material.
  16. 2 Corinthians 13:13 tn Or “communion.”
  17. 2 Corinthians 13:13 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (א2 D Ψ M lat sy bo), conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”), while several early and significant mss (P46 א* A B F G 0243 6 33 630 1175 1739 1881 sa) lack the particle. Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. That so many diverse witnesses lacked the word here is strong testimony to its absence for the original text of 2 Corinthians.