Final Warnings

13 (A)This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established (B)by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (C)I warned (D)those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that (E)if I come again I will not spare them— since you seek proof that Christ (F)is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but (G)is powerful among you. For (H)he was crucified in weakness, but (I)lives by the power of God. For (J)we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you (K)we will live with him by the power of God.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. (L)Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that (M)Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when (N)we are weak and you are strong. Your (O)restoration is what we pray for. 10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come (P)I may not have to be (Q)severe in my use of (R)the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Final Greetings

11 Finally, brothers,[a] rejoice. (S)Aim for restoration, comfort one another,[b] (T)agree with one another, (U)live in peace; and the God of love and (V)peace will be with you. 12 (W)Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 (X)All the saints greet you.

14 (Y)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and (Z)the love of God and (AA)the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Or brothers and sisters
  2. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Or listen to my appeal

Final Warnings

13 This will be the third time I am coming to you. “Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses.”[a] I have already warned those who sinned previously and all the rest. Although I am absent now, I am warning them as I did on my second visit: If I come back, I will not spare you, since you want proof that the Messiah[b] is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you but is making his power felt among you. Though he was crucified in weakness, he lives by God’s power. We are weak with him, but by God’s power we will live for you.

Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don’t you, that Jesus the Messiah[c] lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test? I hope you will realize that we haven’t failed our test. We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not to show that we have not failed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad when we are weak and you are strong. That is what we are praying for—your maturity.

10 For this reason I am writing this while I am away from you: When I come I do not want to be severe in using the authority the Lord gave me to build you up and not to tear you down.

Final Greetings and Benediction

11 Finally, brothers, goodbye. Keep on growing to maturity. Keep listening to my appeals. Continue agreeing with each other and living in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.[d] 13 All the saints greet you.

14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus the Messiah,[e] the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Deut 19:15
  2. 2 Corinthians 13:3 Or Christ
  3. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Or Christ
  4. 2 Corinthians 13:12 People customarily greeted their friends with a kiss.
  5. 2 Corinthians 13:14 Or Christ