| International Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 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 FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY 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 have previously said when 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, |
| 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 are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in 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 indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you. |
| 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? | 5Test 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 fail the test? |
| 6I hope you will realize that we haven't failed our test. | 6But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail 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. | 7Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. |
| 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. | 8For we can do nothing 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 rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete. |
| 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 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. |
| 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, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, 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. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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