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Paul's third visit to Corinth
13This is the third time that I will be coming to visit you. Remember this: ‘There must be two or three people to say certainly that another person has done something wrong. Two or three people must agree what has happened.’[a] 2I have already warned those people who did wrong things before. I did that when I was with you on my second visit. Now I am warning them again, while I am away from you. So, when I come to you the next time, nobody will go free. I will punish those people and all the others who have done wrong things. 3That will tell you what you want to know about me. You will surely know that I speak with the authority of Christ himself. Christ is not weak when he works in you. He shows his power among you. 4People killed Christ on the cross as a weak person. But he now lives by God's power. We are also weak as we serve Christ, like he was weak. But we live, because he now lives. So, when we come to you, we will show God's power among you.
5Think carefully about how you are living. Are you really believing the message about Christ? I hope you know that Jesus Christ is in you. You ought to know that, unless you have completely failed. 6I hope that you will know that we ourselves have not failed. We do belong to Christ, as you do.
7Now we pray to God that you will not do any wrong things. We do not pray this to show that God has accepted us as good. We pray like that because we want you to do what is right. We want that, even if we ourselves seem to have failed. 8We can only work to show what is true. We cannot do anything against what is true. 9We are happy when we seem to be weak, if you become strong as a result. We pray that you will become completely as you should be.
10That is why I am writing these things to you now, while I am away from you. Then, when I arrive, I will not need to be angry with you. I will not have to use my authority to punish you. The Lord gave that authority to me to help you to become stronger as believers. He did not give it to me so that I could destroy you.
Paul finishes his letter
11Now I say ‘goodbye’ to you, my Christian friends. Do only what is right. Let my message make you strong. Agree with each other. Live together in peace. I pray that God will be with you. He is the one who loves us and gives us peace in our minds. 12When you meet, kiss each other as Christian brothers and sisters. 13All God's people here say ‘hello’ to you. 14I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be very kind to you all. I pray that God's love will be with you. And I pray that the Holy Spirit will help you to serve each other as friends.
Footnotes
- 13:1 See Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16.
Final Warnings
13This will be my third visit to you.(A) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”[a](B) 2I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:(C) On my return I will not spare(D) those who sinned earlier(E) or any of the others, 3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.(F) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,(G) yet he lives by God’s power.(H) Likewise, we are weak(I) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him(J) in our dealing with you.
5Examine yourselves(K) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.(L) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you(M)—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9We are glad whenever we are weak(N) but you are strong;(O) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.(P) 10This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh(Q) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.(R)
Final Greetings
11Finally, brothers and sisters,(S) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.(T) And the God of love(U) and peace(V) will be with you.
12Greet one another with a holy kiss.(W) 13All God’s people here send their greetings.(X)
14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,(Y) and the love of God,(Z) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit(AA) be with you all.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 13:1 Deut. 19:15
Cross references
- 2 Corinthians 13:1 : 2Co 12:14
- 2 Corinthians 13:1 : Dt 19:15; S Mt 18:16
- 2 Corinthians 13:2 : ver 10
- 2 Corinthians 13:2 : 2Co 1:23
- 2 Corinthians 13:2 : 2Co 12:21
- 2 Corinthians 13:3 : Mt 10:20; 1Co 5:4
- 2 Corinthians 13:4 : 1Co 1:25; Php 2:7, 8; 1Pe 3:18
- 2 Corinthians 13:4 : Ro 1:4; 6:4; 1Co 6:14
- 2 Corinthians 13:4 : ver 9; S 1Co 2:3
- 2 Corinthians 13:4 : S Ro 6:5
- 2 Corinthians 13:5 : 1Co 11:28
- 2 Corinthians 13:5 : La 3:40; Jn 6:6
- 2 Corinthians 13:5 : S Ro 8:10
- 2 Corinthians 13:9 : S 1Co 2:3
- 2 Corinthians 13:9 : 2Co 4:12
- 2 Corinthians 13:9 : ver 11; Eph 4:13
- 2 Corinthians 13:10 : S 2Co 1:23
- 2 Corinthians 13:10 : 2Co 10:8
- 2 Corinthians 13:11 : 1Th 4:1; 2Th 3:1
- 2 Corinthians 13:11 : S Mk 9:50
- 2 Corinthians 13:11 : 1Jn 4:16
- 2 Corinthians 13:11 : S Ro 15:33; Eph 6:23
- 2 Corinthians 13:12 : S Ro 16:16
- 2 Corinthians 13:13 : Php 4:22
- 2 Corinthians 13:14 : S Ro 16:20; 2Co 8:9
- 2 Corinthians 13:14 : Ro 5:5; Jude 21
- 2 Corinthians 13:14 : Php 2:1
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