| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1This is the third time I am coming to visit you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter will be established. | 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 said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, 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 toward 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 indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God's power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God's power toward 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. |
| 5Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you--unless, indeed, you 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 that 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 may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right even if we may appear to have failed the test. | 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 sake of the truth. | 8For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. |
| 9For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified. | 9We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature. |
| 10Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority--the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing 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 and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, 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. All the saints greet you. | 12Greet each other with a sacred kiss. |
| 13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | 13All of God’s people here send you their greetings. |
| 14[[EMPTY]] | 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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