2 Corinthians 13 - Galatians 1

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Further Warning

13 This is the third time I am coming to you. “Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”^{(A) 2} I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not be lenient— ³ since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you but is powerful in you.^{(B) 4} For he was crucified in weakness but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him,^[a] but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.^(C)

⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!^{(D) 6} I hope you will find out that we have not failed. ⁷ But we pray to God that you may not do anything 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. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth but only for the truth. ⁹ For we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may be restored.^{(E) 10} So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.^(F)

Final Greetings and Benediction

¹¹ Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell.^[b] Be restored; listen to my appeal;^[c] agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.^{(G) 12} Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.^(H)

¹³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of^[d] the Holy Spirit be with all of you.^(I)

Salutation

1 Paul an apostle—sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— ² and all the brothers and sisters with me,

To the churches of Galatia:^(J)

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,^{(K) 5} to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

There Is No Other Gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.^{(L) 8} But even if we or an angel^[e] from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!^{(M) 9} As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

¹⁰ Am I now seeking human approval or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.^(N)

Paul’s Vindication of His Apostleship

¹¹ For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin,^{(O) 12} for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it.^{(P) 14} I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.^{(Q) 15} But when the one^[f] who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace was pleased^{(R) 16} to reveal his Son to me,^[g] so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles, I did not confer with any human,^{(S) 17} nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterward I returned to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days,^{(T) 19} but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother.^{(U) 20} In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia,^{(V) 22} and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ;^{(W) 23} they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.