13:1 This is the third time that I am coming to you. ON THE ①TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER SHALL BE CONFIRMED.
▷ ①Lit mouth
13:2 I have previously said when I was present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone,
13:3 since you are seeking proof of the Christ who speaks in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.
13:4 For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we too are weak ①in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.
▷ ①One early ms with Him
13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you ①fail the test?
▷ ①Lit are unapproved
13:6 But I expect that you will realize that we ourselves ①do not fail the test.
▷ ①Lit are not unapproved
13:7 Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong; not so that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, though we may ①appear unapproved.
▷ ①Lit be as
13:8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
13:9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak, but you are strong; this we also pray for, ①that you become mature.
▷ ①Lit your maturation
13:10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, ①rejoice, mend your ways, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
▷ ①Or farewell
13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13:13 All the ①saints greet you.
▷ ①Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.