| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1This will be the third time I am coming to you. "Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses." | 1This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established 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 already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, |
| 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 demanding proof that Christ is speaking through 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 to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him in our dealing with 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? | 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? |
| 6I hope you will realize that we haven't failed our test. | 6And I trust that you will discover 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. | 7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong--not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even 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. | 9We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. |
| 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. | 10This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you 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 and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, 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 God's people here send their greetings. |
| 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! | 14May the 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 International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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