Book of Common Prayer

13 This is the third time I am coming to you. The holy writings say `Any complaint must be proved by the words of two or three people.'

² I have told you before, when I visited you the second time. And I tell you again now, while I am not there. When I come again, I will punish those who did wrong before and the others who have done wrong since.

³ This will be the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you. No, he shows his power among you.

⁴ It is true that he was weak when he died on a cross. But now he is alive by the power of God. We are weak as he was, but we will also be alive as he is by the power God has. You will see this.

⁵ Look at yourselves and check to see if you still believe. Test yourselves. Do you not know Jesus Christ is in you? If he is not in you, you do not pass the test.

⁶ I hope you will know that we pass the test.

⁷ We ask God to help you that you will do nothing wrong. That is not to show you that we pass the test. We want you to do what is right even if we do not pass the test.

⁸ After all, we have no power to work against what is true, but only for the truth.

⁹ We are glad to be weak, if you are made strong. And we ask God for this too, that you may become perfect.

¹⁰ That is why I am writing these things to you the way I am, before I reach you. Then, when I come to you, I do not want to be hard on you. I do not want to use the power which the Lord has given me. He gave it to me to help to make you better Christians, not to break you down.

¹¹ Now, my brothers, in closing I say, `Goodbye.' Be what you should be. Listen to what I say. Be good to each other. Agree with one another. Live in peace with one another. And the God who gives love and peace will be with you.

¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³ All of God's people send greetings to you.

¹⁴ And to all of you I say, `May the kindness and blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon you. May God show you his love. May you all have the Holy Spirit with you.'

20 One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple. He was telling them God's good news. The chief priests and the scribes came to him with the leaders.

² They said to him, `Tell us what right you have to do these things. Who gave you the right to do them?'

³ He answered, `I will ask you a question also. Tell me this.

⁴ Who gave John the right to baptise people? Did God or did men give it to him?'

⁵ They talked it over together. They said, `If we say, "God gave John the right to do it," he will say, "Then why did you not believe him?"

⁶ But if we say, "Men gave him the right to do it," then the people will kill us with stones. They believe that John was a prophet of God.'

⁷ So they answered Jesus, `We do not know who gave him the right to do it.'

⁸ Then Jesus said to them, `Neither will I tell you what right I have to do these things.'