Final Warnings and Greetings
1 This is now the third time that I am coming to visit you. “Any accusation must be upheld by the evidence of two or more witnesses”—as the scripture says. 2 I want to tell those of you who have sinned in the past, and all the others; I said it before during my second visit to you, but I will say it again now that I am away: the next time I come nobody will escape punishment. 3 You will have all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. When he deals with you, he is not weak; instead, he shows his power among you. 4 For even though it was in weakness that he was put to death on the cross, it is by God's power that he lives. In union with him we also are weak; but in our relations with you we shall share God's power in his life.
5 Put yourselves to the test and judge yourselves, to find out whether you are living in faith. Surely you know that Christ Jesus is in you?—unless you have completely failed. 6 I trust you will know that we are not failures. 7 We pray to God that you will do no wrong—not in order to show that we are a success, but so that you may do what is right, even though we may seem to be failures. 8 For we cannot do a thing against the truth, but only for it. 9 We are glad when we are weak but you are strong. And so we also pray that you will become perfect. 10 That is why I write this while I am away from you; it is so that when I arrive I will not have to deal harshly with you in using the authority that the Lord has given me—authority to build you up, not to tear you down.
11 And now, my friends, good-bye! Strive for perfection; listen to my appeals; agree with one another; live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with the kiss of peace.
All of God's people send you their greetings.
13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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.’