| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” | 1This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” ). |
| 2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone, | 2I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that next time I will not spare them. |
| 3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. | 3I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. |
| 4For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. | 4Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power. |
| 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test? | 5Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you ; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. |
| 6And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test. | 6As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority. |
| 7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not that we will appear to have stood the test, but that you will do what is right, even if we appear to have failed. | 7We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. |
| 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. | 8For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. |
| 9In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection. | 9We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature. |
| 10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. | 10I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down. Paul’s Final Greetings |
| 11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. | 11Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. |
| 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. | 12Greet each other with a sacred kiss. |
| 13All the saints send you greetings. | 13All of God’s people here send you their greetings. |
| 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. | 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
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