Book of Common Prayer

When I Come I Will Not Spare Those Seeking Proof of Christ Speaking In Me

13 This is the third time I am coming^[a] to you. Every word shall be established based-on the mouth of two and three witnesses. ² I have said-before and I am saying-beforehand, as being-present^[b] the second time and being-absent now, to the ones having previously-sinned and to all the rest— that if I come again I will not spare you, ³ since you are seeking a proof of Christ speaking in me, Who is not weak toward you, but is strong in you. ⁴ For indeed He was crucified because-of weakness^[c], but He lives because-of the power of God. For indeed we are weak in Him, but we will live with Him because of the power of God toward you.

Prove Yourselves, That Christ Is In You!

⁵ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith! Prove^[d] yourselves! Or do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?— unless indeed you are disapproved^[e]. ⁶ But I hope that you will come-to-know that we are not disapproved.

We Are Praying For You

⁷ And we are praying to God that you may not do anything bad^[f]— not in order that we may appear approved^[g], but in order that you may be doing the good, and we may be as^[h] disapproved. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but [only] for the truth. ⁹ For we are rejoicing whenever we are weak but you are strong. This also we are praying— your restoration^[i].

I Am Writing So I Don’t Have To Act Severely When I Come

¹⁰ For this reason I am writing these things while absent— in order that while being-present, I may not act severely^[j] according-to^[k] the authority which the Lord gave me for building-up and not for tearing-down.

¹¹ Finally, brothers, be rejoicing^[l], be restored^[m], be exhorted^[n], be thinking the same thing, be living-in-peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. ¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³ All the saints greet you. ¹⁴ The grace of ^[o] the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of ^[p] God and the fellowship of ^[q] the Holy Spirit be with you all.

The Priests Ask By What Authority He Does This. From Where Was John’s Authority?

20 And it came about on one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and announcing-the-good-news, that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders stood-near. ² And they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us, by what-kind-of ^[a] authority are You doing these things, or who is the one having given You this authority?” ³ And having responded, He said to them, “I also will ask you a thing, and you tell Me— ⁴ was the baptism of John from heaven, or from humans?” ⁵ And the ones reasoned with themselves, saying that “If we say, ‘From heaven’, He will say, ‘For what reason did you not believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From humans’, all the people will stone us to death. For they are convinced that John is a prophet”. ⁷ And they answered that they did not know from where it was. ⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Nor am I telling you by what-kind-of authority I am doing these things”.