2 Corinthians 13:1–10

Examine Yourselves

^1aThis is the third time I am coming to you. ^bBy the mouth of two or three witnesses every ¹matter shall be confirmed.

²I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have ^asinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that ^bif I come again I will not ^cspare anyone,

³since you are ^aseeking proof that ^bChrist speaks in me; He is not weak toward you, but ^cmighty in you.

⁴For indeed He was ^acrucified because of weakness, yet He lives ^bbecause of the power of God. For we also are ^cweak ¹in Him, yet ^dwe will live with Him because of the power of God toward you.

^5aTest yourselves to see if you are in the faith; ^bexamine yourselves! Or do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you ^1cfail the test?

⁶But I hope that you will realize that we ourselves ¹do not fail the test.

⁷Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may ¹appear unapproved.

⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.

⁹For we rejoice when we ourselves are ^aweak but you are strong. This we also pray for, ¹that you be ^brestored.

¹⁰For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present ^aI need not use ^bseverity, in accordance with the ^cauthority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.