| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. | 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 warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— | 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 seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with 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 he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. | 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. |
| 5Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet 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. |
| 6I hope you will find out 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. |
| 7But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. | 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 truth. | 8For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. |
| 9For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. | 9We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature. |
| 10For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and 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, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, 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. | 12Greet each other with a sacred kiss. |
| 13All the saints greet you. | 13All of God’s people here send you their greetings. |
| 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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