Final Warnings and Greetings
1 I am on my way to visit you for the third time. And as the Scriptures say, “Any charges must be proved true by at least two or three witnesses.” 2 During my second visit I warned you that I would punish you and anyone else who doesn't stop sinning. I am far away from you now, but I give you the same warning. 3 This should prove to you that I am speaking for Christ. When he corrects you, he won't be weak. He will be powerful! 4 Although he was weak when he was nailed to the cross, he now lives by the power of God. We are weak, just as Christ was. But you will see that we will live by the power of God, just as Christ does.
5 Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith. If you pass the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you. But if Christ isn't living in you, you have failed. 6 I hope you will discover we have not failed. 7 We pray you will stop doing evil things. We don't pray like this to make ourselves look good, but to get you to do right, even if we are failures.
8 All we can do is to follow the truth and not fight against it. 9 Even though we are weak, we are glad that you are strong, and we pray you will do even better. 10 I am writing these things to you before I arrive. This way I won't have to be hard on you when I use the authority the Lord has given me. I was given this authority, so I could help you and not destroy you.
11 Goodbye, my friends. Do better and pay attention to what I have said. Try to get along and live peacefully with each other.
Now I pray that God, who gives love and peace, will be with you. 12 Give each other a warm greeting. All God's people send their greetings.
13 I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and be kind to you! May God bless you with his love, and may the Holy Spirit join all your hearts together.
1 Lo this is the thirde time that I come vnto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery worde stand 2 I tolde you before, and tell you before: as though I had bene present the seconde time, so write I nowe being absent to them which heretofore haue sinned and to all others, that if I come againe, I will not spare, 3 Seeing that ye seeke experience of Christ, that speaketh in mee, which towarde you is not weake, but is mightie in you. 4 For though hee was crucified concerning his infirmitie, yet liueth hee through the power of God. And wee no doubt are weake in him, but we shall liue with him, through the power of God towarde you. 5 Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith: examine your selues: knowe yee not your owne selues, howe that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall knowe that wee are not reprobates. 7 Nowe I pray vnto God that yee doe none euill, not that we should seeme approued, but that ye should doe that which is honest: though we be as reprobates. 8 For wee can not doe any thing against the trueth, but for the trueth. 9 For we are glad when wee are weake, and that ye are strong: this also we wish for, euen your perfection. 10 Therefore write I these thinges being absent, least when I am present, I should vse sharpenesse, according to the power which the Lord hath giuen mee, to edification, and not to destruction. 11 Finally brethren, fare ye well: be perfect: be of good comfort: be of one minde: liue in peace, and the God of loue and peace shalbe with you. 12 Greete one another with an holy kisse. All the Saintes salute you. 13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the loue of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all, Amen. ‘The seconde Epistle to the Corinthians, written from Philippi, a citie in Macedonia, and sent by Titus and Lucas.’