| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” | 1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” |
| 2I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare— | 2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone, |
| 3since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in 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. |
| 4For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. | 4For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. |
| 5Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. | 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test? |
| 6But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. | 6And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test. |
| 7Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. | 7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not that we will appear to have stood the test, but that you will do what is right, even if we appear to have failed. |
| 8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. | 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. |
| 9For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. | 9In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection. |
| 10Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction. | 10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. |
| 11Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. | 11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, 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 the saints send you greetings. |
| 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. | 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. |
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