| Holman Christian Standard Bible | King James Bible |
| 1This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. | 1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. |
| 2I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again, I will not be lenient, | 2I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: |
| 3since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak toward you, but powerful among you. | 3Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. |
| 4In fact, He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by God's power. For we also are weak in Him, yet toward you we will live with Him by God's power. | 4For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. |
| 5Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless you fail the test. | 5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? |
| 6And I hope you will recognize that we do not fail the test. | 6But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. |
| 7Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong--not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail. | 7Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. |
| 8For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. | 8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. |
| 9In fact, we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray that you become fully mature. | 9For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. |
| 10This is why I am writing these things while absent, that when I am there I will not use severity, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down. | 10Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. |
| 11Finally, brothers, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. | 11Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. |
| 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. | 12Greet one another with an holy kiss. |
| 13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. | 13All the saints salute you. |
| 14 | 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. |
|
