2 Corinthians 13

Coming with Authority

13This will be ^athe third time I am coming to you. ^b“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” ^2cI have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent ¹I write to those ^dwho have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again ^eI will not spare—³since you seek a proof of Christ ^fspeaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty ^gin you. ^4hFor though He was crucified in weakness, yet ⁱHe lives by the power of God. For ^jwe also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

⁵Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, ^kthat Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you ²are ^ldisqualified. ⁶But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Paul Prefers Gentleness

⁷Now ³I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though ^mwe may seem disqualified. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹For we are glad ⁿwhen we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, ^othat you may be made complete. ^10pTherefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the ^qauthority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

Greetings and Benediction

¹¹Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. ^rBe of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love ^sand peace will be with you.

^12tGreet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³All the saints greet you.

^14uThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and ^vthe ⁴communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.