- 1
- This third time I am coming to you.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established.
- 2
- I have declared beforehand, and I say beforehand as present the second time, and now absent, to those that have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare.
- 3
- Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, (who is not weak towards you, but is powerful among you,
- 4
- for if indeed he has been crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power;
for indeed *we* are weak in him, but we shall live with him by God's power towards you,)
- 5
- examine your own selves if ye be in the faith;
prove your own selves: do ye not recognise yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed ye be reprobates?
- 6
- Now I hope that ye will know that *we* are not reprobates.
- 7
- But we pray to God that ye may do nothing evil;
not that *we* may appear approved, but that *ye* may do what is right, and *we* be as reprobates.
- 8
- For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
- 9
- For we rejoice when *we* may be weak and *ye* may be powerful.
But this also we pray for, your perfecting.
- 10
- On this account I write these things being absent, that being present I may not use severity according to the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for overthrowing.
- 11
- For the rest, brethren, rejoice;
be perfected; be encouraged; be of one mind; be at peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
- 12
- Salute one another with a holy kiss.
- 13
- All the saints salute you.
- 14
- The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, [be] with you all.
|