| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1This will be the third time I am coming to you. "Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses." | 1This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. |
| 2I have already warned those who sinned previously and all the rest. Although I am absent now, I am warning them as I did on my second visit: If I come back, I will not spare you, | 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— |
| 3since you want proof that the Messiah is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you but is making his power felt among you. | 3since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. |
| 4Though he was crucified in weakness, he lives by God's power. We are weak with him, but by God's power we will live for 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. |
| 5Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don't you, that Jesus the Messiah lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test? | 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! |
| 6I hope you will realize that we haven't failed our test. | 6I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. |
| 7We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not to show that we have not failed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed. | 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. |
| 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. | 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. |
| 9We are glad when we are weak and you are strong. That is what we are praying for—your maturity. | 9For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. |
| 10For this reason I am writing this while I am away from you: When I come I do not want to be severe in using the authority the Lord gave me to build you up and not to tear you down. | 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. |
| 11Finally, brothers, goodbye. Keep on growing to maturity. Keep listening to my appeals. Continue agreeing with each other and living in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. | 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. |
| 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. | 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. |
| 13All the saints greet you. | 13All the saints greet you. |
| 14May the grace of the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you! | 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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. |
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