1 T his is the third time that I am coming to you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses must any charge and every accusing statement be sustained and confirmed.

This third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established.

2 I have already warned those who sinned formerly and all the rest also, and I warn them now again while I am absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come back, I will not spare,

I have declared beforehand, and I say beforehand as present the second time, and now absent, to those that have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare.

3 S ince you desire and seek proof of the Christ Who speaks in and through me. is not weak and feeble in dealing with you, but is a mighty power within you;

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, (who is not weak towards you, but is powerful among you,

4 F or though He was crucified in weakness, yet He goes on living by the power of God. And though we too are weak in Him, yet in dealing with you alive and strong in Him by the power of God.

for if indeed he has been crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power; for indeed we are weak in him, but we shall live with him by God's power towards you,)

5 E xamine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves '> not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are disapproved on trial and rejected?

examine your own selves if ye be in the faith; prove your own selves: do ye not recognise yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed ye be reprobates?

6 B ut I hope you will recognize and know that we are not disapproved on trial and rejected.

Now I hope that ye will know that we are not reprobates.

7 B ut I pray to God that you may do nothing wrong, not in order that we '> our teaching] may appear to be approved, but that you may continue doing right, we may seem to have failed and be unapproved.

But we pray to God that ye may do nothing evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do what is right, and we be as reprobates.

8 F or we can do nothing against the Truth '> not serve any party or personal interest], but only for the Truth '> which is the Gospel].

For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

9 F or we are glad when we are weak ( unapproved) and you are really strong. And this we also pray for: your all-round strengthening and perfecting of soul.

For we rejoice when we may be weak and ye may be powerful. But this also we pray for, your perfecting.

10 S o I write these things while I am absent from you, that when I come to you, I may not have to deal sharply in my use of the authority which the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

On this account I write these things being absent, that being present I may not use severity according to the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for overthrowing.

11 F inally, brethren, farewell (rejoice)! Be strengthened (perfected, completed, made what you ought to be); be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same mind one with another; live in peace, and the God of love and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you.

For the rest, brethren, rejoice; be perfected; be encouraged; be of one mind; be at peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

12 G reet one another with a consecrated kiss.

Salute one another with a holy kiss.

13 A ll the saints (the people of God here) salute you.

All the saints salute you.

14 T he grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it).

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, with you all.