Coming with Authority
1 Thiswillbethe thirdtimeI am coming to you.“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”
2 I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to thosewho have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come againI will not spare—
3 since you seek a proof of Christspeaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mightyin you.
4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yetHe lives by the power of God. Forwe also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselvesastowhether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves,that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you aredisqualified.
6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
Paul Prefers Gentleness
7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, thoughwe may seem disqualified.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
9 For we are gladwhen we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray,that you may be made complete.
10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to theauthority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.
Greetings and Benediction
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete.Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of loveand peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, andthe communion of the Holy Spiritbewith you all. Amen.