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¤1 °1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother, to the church of God in Corinth, and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia. °2 May you receive grace and peace from God our Father and from Christ Jesus, the Lord. § Blessed be God, the source of all comfort
°3 Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus, our Lord, the all-merciful Father and the God of all comfort! °4 He encourages us in all our trials, so that we may also encourage those in any trial, with the same comfort that we receive from God. °5 For whenever the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so, through Christ, a great comfort also overflows. °6 So, if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we receive comfort it is also for you. You may experience the same comfort when you come to endure the same sufferings we endure. °7 Our hope for you is most firm; just as you share in our sufferings, so shall you also share in our consolation. °8 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know some of the trials we experienced in the province of Asia. We were crushed; it was too much; it was more than we could bear and we had already lost all hope of coming through alive. °9 We felt branded for death, but this happened that we might no longer rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. °10 He freed us from such a deadly peril and will continue to do so. We trust he will continue protecting us, °11 but you must help us with your prayers. When such a favor is obtained by the intercession of many, so will there be many to give thanks to God on our behalf. § The plans of Paul°12 There is something we are proud of: our conscience tells us that we have lived in this world with the openness and sincerity that comes from God. We have been guided, not by human motives, but by the grace of God, especially in relation to you. °13 There were no hidden intentions in my letter, but only what you can read and understand. °14 I trust that what you now only partly realize, you will come to understand fully, and so be proud of us, as we shall also be proud of you on the Day of the Lord Jesus. °15 With this assurance, I wanted to go and visit you first, and this would have been a double blessing for you. °16 And from there I thought of going to Macedonia and then, from Macedonia, of coming back to you, that you might send me on my way to Judea. °17 Have I planned this without thinking at all? Or do I change my decisions on the spur of the moment, so that I am betweenNoandYes? °18 God knows that our dealing with you is not Yes and No, °19 just as the Son of God, Christ Jesus, whom we – Silvanus, Timothy and I – preach to you, was notYesand No;with him it was simplyYes.°20 In him all the promises of God have come to be aYes,and we also say in his name:Amen!giving thanks to God. °21 God himself has anointed us and strengthens us with you to serve Christ; °22 he has marked us with his own seal in a first outpouring of the Spirit in our hearts. § Paul refers to a scandal°23 God knows, and I swear to you by my own life, that if I did not return to Corinth, it was because I wanted to spare you. °24 I do not wish to lord it over your faith, but to contribute to your happiness; for regarding faith, you already stand firm. ¤2 °1 So I gave up a visit that would again be a distressing one. °2 If I make you sad, who will make me happy if not you whom I have grieved? °3 Remember what I wrote you, “May it be that when I come I do not feel sad because of you, who should rather make me happy.” I trust in everyone and I am sure that my joy will be the joy of you all. °4 So afflicted and worried was I when I wrote to you, that I even shed tears. I did not intend to cause you pain, but rather to let you know of the immense love that I have for you. °5 If anyone has caused me pain, he has hurt not me but in some measure, (I do not wish to exaggerate) all of you. °6 The punishment that he received from the majority is enough for him. °7 Now you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest excessive sorrow discourage him. °8 So I beg you to treat him with love. °9 This is why I wrote to you, to test you and to know if you would obey in everything. °10 The one you forgive, I also forgive. And what I forgave, if indeed I had anything to forgive, I forgave for your sake in the presence of Christ, °11 lest Satan take advantage of us; for we know his designs. § We are the fragrance of Christ
°12 So I came to Troas to preach the Gospel of Christ, and the Lord opened doors for me. °13 However I could not be at peace because I did not find my brother Titus there, so I took leave of them and went to Macedonia. °14 Thanks be to God, who always leads us in the triumphant following of Christ and, through us, spreads the knowledge of him everywhere, like an aroma. °15 We are Christ’s fragrance rising up to God, and perceived by those who are saved as well as by those who are lost. °16 To the latter, it smells of death and leads them to death. To others it is the fragrance of life and leads to life. °17 But who is worthy of such a mission? Unlike so many who make money out of the word of God, we speak with sincerity: everything comes from God and is said in his presence, in Christ. § The great dignity of Christ’s ministers
¤3 °1 Am I again commending myself? Or do I need to present to you letters of recommendation as some do; or should I ask you for those letters? °2 You are the letter. This letter is written in your inner self, yet all can read and understand it. °3 Yes, who could deny that you are Christ’s letter written by us – a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, carved not in slabs of stones, but in hearts of flesh. °4 This is how we are sure of God, through Christ. °5 As for us we would not dare consider that something comes from us: our ability comes from God. °6 He has even enabled us to be ministers of a new covenant no longer depending on a written text but on the Spirit. The written text kills, but the Spirit gives life. °7 The ministry of the Law carved on stones brought death; it was nevertheless surrounded by glory and we know that the Israelites could not fix their eyes on the face of Moses, such was his radiance, though fleeting. °8 How much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be! °9 If there is greatness in a ministry which uses to condemn, how much more will there be in the ministry that brings holiness? °10 This is such a glorious thing that in comparison the former’s glory is like nothing. °11 That ministry was provisory and had only moments of glory; but ours endures with a lasting glory. § The veil of Moses
°12 Since we have such a great ambition, we are quite confident – °13 unlike Moses,who covered his face with a veil.Otherwise the Israelites would have seen his passing radiance fade. °14 They became blind, however; until this day, the same veil prevents them from understanding the Old Covenant and they do not realize that in Christ it is nullified. °15 Up to this very day, whenever they read Moses, the veil remains over their understanding °16 but, for whoeverturns to the Lord, the veil shall be removed.°17 The Lord is spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. °18 So, with unveiled faces, we all reflect the Glory of the Lord, while we are transformed into his likeness and experience his Glory more and more by the action of the Lord who is spirit. § We carry this treasure in vessels of clay¤4 °1 Since this is our ministry mercifully given to us, we do not weaken. °2 We refuse to stay with half-truths through fear; we do not behave with cunning or falsify the message of God but, manifesting the truth, we deserve the respect of everyone before God. °3 In fact if the Gospel we proclaim remains obscure, it is obscure only for those who go to their own destruction. °4 The god of this world has blinded the minds of these unbelievers lest they see the radiance of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is God’s image. °5 It is not ourselves we preach, but Christ Jesus as Lord; and for Jesus’ sake we are your servants. °6 God who said, Let the light shine out of darkness,has also made the light shine in our hearts to radiate and to make known the Glory of God, as it shines in the face of Christ. °7 However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours but as God’s. °8 Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged. °9 We are left without answer, but do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed. °10 At any moment we carry in our person the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us. °11 For we, the living, are given up continually to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal existence. °12 And as death is at work in us, life comes to you. °13 We have received the same spirit of faith referred to in Scripture that says:I believed and so I spoke.We also believe and so we speak. °14 We know that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us, with you, into his presence. °15 Finally, everything is for your good, so that grace will come more abundantly upon you and great will be the thanksgiving for the glory of God. § We long for our heavenly dwelling
°16 Therefore we are not discouraged. On the contrary, while our outer being wastes away, the inner self is renewed from day to day. °17 The slight affliction that quickly passes away prepares us for an eternal wealth of glory so great and beyond all comparison. °18 So we no longer pay attention to the things that are seen, but to those that are unseen, for the things that we see last for a moment, but that which cannot be seen is eternal. ¤5 °1 We know that when our earthly dwelling, or rather our tent, is destroyed, we may count on a building from God, a heavenly dwelling not built by human hands, that lasts forever. °2 Therefore we long and groan: Why may we not put on this heavenly dwelling over that which we have? °3 (Indeed, are we sure that we shall still be wearing our earthly dwelling and not be unclothed?) °4 As long as we are in the field-tent, we indeed moan our unbearable fate for we do not want this clothing to be removed from us; we would rather put the other over it, that the mortal body may be absorbed by true life. °5 This is God’s purpose for us, and he has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what we are to receive. °6 So we feel confident always. We know that while living in the body, we wander away from the Lord, °7 living by faith, without seeing; °8 but we dare to think that we would rather be away from the body to go and live with the Lord. °9 So, whether we have to keep this house or lose it, we only wish to please the Lord. °10 Anyway we all have to appear before the tribunal of Christ for each one to receive what he deserves for his good or evil deeds in the present life. § We proclaim the message of reconciliation°11 So we know the fear of the Lord and we try to convince people while we live openly before God. And I trust that you know in your conscience what we truly are. °12 Once more, we do not try to win your esteem; we want to give you a reason to feel proud of us, that you may respond to those who heed appearances and not the reality. °13 Now, if I have spoken foolishly, let God alone hear; if what I have said makes sense, take it for yourselves. °14 Indeed the love of Christ holds us and we realize that if he died for all, all have died. °15 He died for all so that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them. °16 And so from now on, we do not regard anyone from a human point of view; and even if we once knew Christ personally, we should now regard him in another way. °17 For that same reason, the one who is in Christ is a new creature. For him the old things have passed away; a new world has come. °18 All this is the work of God who in Christ reconciled us to himself, and who entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation. °19 Because in Christ God reconciled the world with himself, no longer taking into account their trespasses and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. °20 So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ, as if God himself makes an appeal to you through us. Let God reconcile you; this we ask you in the name of Christ. °21 He had no sin, but God made him bear our sin, so that in him we might share the holiness of God. ¤6 °1 Being God’s helpers we beg you: let it not be in vain that you received this grace of God. °2 Scripture says:At the favorable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you.This is the favorable time, this is the day of salvation. § The trials of an apostle°3 We are concerned not to give anyone an occasion to stumble or criticize our mission. °4 Instead we prove we are true ministers of God in every way by our endurance in so many trials, in hardships, afflictions, °5 floggings, imprisonment, riots, fatigue, sleepless nights and days of hunger. °6 People can notice in our upright life, knowledge, patience and kindness, action of the Holy Spirit, sincere love, °7 words of truth and power of God. So we fight with the weapons of justice, to attack as well as to defend. °8 Sometimes we are honored, at other times insulted; we receive criticism as well as praise. We are regarded as liars although we speak the truth; °9 as unknown though we are well known; as dead and yet we live. Punishments come upon us but we have not, as yet, been put to death. °10 We appear to be afflicted, yet always joyful; we seem to be poor, but we enrich many; we have nothing, but we possess everything! °11 Corinthians! I have spoken to you frankly and I have uncovered my inner thought. °12 My heart is wide open to you, but you feel uneasy because of your closed heart: °13 repay us with the same measure – I speak to you as to my children – open wide your hearts also. § Have nothing to do with evil°14 Do not make unsuitable covenants with those who do not believe: can justice walk with wickedness? Or can light coexist with darkness, °15 and can there be harmony between Christ and Satan? What union can there be between one who believes and one who does not believe? °16 God’s temple must have no room for idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As Scripture says;I will dwell and live in their midst, I will be their God and they shall be my people. °17 Therefore:Come out from their midst and separate
from them, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean °18 and I will be
gracious to you. I will be a father to you, that you may become my sonsand
daughters,says the all-powerful God. ¤7 °1 Since we have such promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, and complete the work of sanctification in the fear of God. § Welcome us in your hearts°2 Welcome us in your hearts. We have injured no one, we have harmed no one, we have cheated no one. °3 I do not say this to condemn you: I have just said that you are in our heart to live together and die as one. °4 I have great confidence in you and I am indeed proud of you. I feel very much encouraged and my joy overflows in spite of all this bitterness. °5 Know that when I came to Macedonia, I had no rest at all but I was afflicted with all kinds of difficulties: conflict outside and fear within. °6 But God who encourages the humble gave me comfort with the arrival of Titus, °7 not only because of his arrival, but also because you had received him very well. He told me about your deep affection for me; you were affected by what happened, you worried about me, and this made me rejoice all the more. °8 If my letter caused you pain, I do not regret it. Perhaps I did regret it, for I saw that the letter caused you sadness for a moment but now I rejoice, °9 not because of your sadness, but because this sadness brought you to repentance. This was a sadness from God, so that no evil came to you because of me. °10 Sadness from God brings firm repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. °11 See what this sadness from God has produced in you: What concern for me! What apologies! What indignation and fear! What a longing to see me, to make amends and do me justice! You have fully proved that you were innocent in this matter. °12 In reality, I wrote to you not on account of the offender or of the offended, but that you may be conscious of the concern you have for me before God. °13 I was encouraged by this. In addition to this consolation of mine, I rejoice especially to see Titus very pleased with the way you all reassured him. °14 I had no cause to regret my praise of you to him. You know that I am always sincere with you; likewise my praise of you to Titus has been justified. °15 He now feels much more affection for you as he remembers the obedience of all and the respect and humility with which you received him. °16 Really I rejoice for I can be truly proud of you. § The collection for those in Jerusalem¤8 °1 Now I want you to know about a gift of divine grace among the Churches of Macedonia. °2 While they were so afflicted and persecuted, their joy overflowed and their extreme poverty turned into a wealth of generosity. °3-°4 According to their means – even beyond their means – they wanted to share in helping the saints. They asked us for this favor spontaneously and with much insistence °5 and, far beyond anything we expected, they put themselves at the disposal of the Lord and of us by the will of God. °6 Accordingly, I urged Titus to complete among you this work of grace since he began it with you. °7 You excel in everything: in the gifts of faith, speech and knowledge; you feel concern for every cause and, besides, you are first in my heart. Excel also in this generous service. °8 This is not a command; I make known to you the determination of others to check the sincerity of your fraternal concern. °9 You know well the generosity of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Although he was rich, he made himself poor to make you rich through his poverty. °10 I only make a suggestion, because you were the first not only in cooperating, but in beginning this project a year ago. °11 So complete this work and, according to your means, carry out what you decided with much enthusiasm. °12 When there is a good disposition, everything you give is welcomed and no one longs for what you do not have. °13 I do not mean that others should be at ease and you burdened. Strive for equality; °14 at present give from your abundance what they are short of, and in some way they also will give from their abundance what you lack. Then you will be equal °15 and what Scripture says shall come true: To the one who had much, nothing was in excess; to the one who had little, nothing was lacking. °16 Blessed be God who inspires Titus with such care for you! °17 He not only listened to my appeal but he wanted to go and see you on his own initiative. °18 I am sending with him the brother who has gained the esteem of the churches in the work of the Gospel; °19 moreover they appointed him to travel with us in this blessed work we are carrying on for the glory of the Lord but also because of our personal enthusiasm. °20 We decided on this so that no one could suspect us with regard to this generous fund that we are administering. °21Let us see to itthat all mayappear clean not only before God but also before people.°22 We also send with them another brother who on several occasions has shown us his zeal and, now, is more enthusiastic because of his confidence in you. °23 You then have Titus, our companion and minister, to serve you and, with him, you have our brothers, representatives of the churches and a glory to Christ. °24 Show them how you love, and prove before the churches all the good things I said to them about you. § More about the collection
¤9 °1 It is not necessary for me to write to you about assistance to the saints. °2 I know your readiness and I praised you before the Macedonians. I said, “In Achaia they have been ready for the collection since last year.” And your enthusiasm carried most of them along. °3 So I send you these brothers of ours. May all my praise of you not fall flat in this case! May you be ready, as I said. °4 If some Macedonians come with me, let them not find you unprepared. What a shame for me – and perhaps for you – after so much confidence! °5 So I thought it necessary to ask our brothers to go ahead of us and see you to organize this blessed work you have promised. It shall come from your generosity and not be an imposed task. °6 Remember: the one who sows meagerly will reap meagerly, and there shall be generous harvests for the one who sows generously. °7 Each of you should give as you decided personally, and not reluctantly as if obliged.God loves a cheerful giver.°8 And God is able to fill you with every good thing, so that you have enough of everything at all times, and may give abundantly for any good work. °9 Scripture says:He distributed, he gave to the poor, his good works last forever.°10 God who provides the sower with seed will also provide him with the bread he eats. He will multiply the seed for you and also increase the interests of your good works. °11 Become rich in every way, and give abundantly. What you give will become, through us, a thanksgiving to God. °12 For this sacred relief, after providing the saints with what they need, will result in much thanksgiving to God. °13 This will be a test for them; they will give thanks because you obey the requirements of Christ’s Gospel and share generously with them and with all. °14 They shall pray to God for you and feel affection for you because the grace of God overflows in you. °15 Yes, thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! § Paul’s defense and admonition¤10 °1 It is I, Paul, who by the humility and kindness of Christ appeal to you, the Paul “who is timid among you and bold when far away from you!” °2 Do not force me to act boldly when I come, as I am determined and will dare to act against some people who think that I act from human motives. °3 Human is our condition but not our fight. °4 Our weapons for this fight are not human but they have divine power to destroy strongholds – those arguments °5 and haughty thoughts that oppose the knowledge of God. We compel all understanding, that they obey Christ. °6 So I am prepared to punish any disobedience when you should show perfect obedience. °7 See things as they really are. If someone is convinced that he belongs to Christ, let him consider that just as he is Christ’s, so am I. °8 Although I may seem too confident in the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up and not for pulling you down, I will not be put to shame for saying this. °9 Do not think that I can only frighten you with letters. °10 “His letters are severe and strong,” some say, “but as he is, he has no presence and he is a poor speaker.” °11 To such people I say, “Be careful: what my letters say from afar, is what I will do when I come.” °12 How could I venture to equate or compare myself with some people who proclaim their own merits? Fools! They measure themselves with their own measure and compare themselves with themselves. °13 As for me, I will not boast beyond measure, for I will not go past the limits that the God of true measure has set for me: He gave the measuring stick when he made me set foot in your place. °14 It is not the same when someone goes beyond his field to where he has not been able to set foot. But I am he who first reached you with the Gospel of Christ. °15 I am not making myself important where others have worked. On the contrary, we hope that as your faith increases, so too our area of ministry among you will be enlarged without going beyond our limit. °16 So we shall bring the Gospel to places beyond yours without entering into the field of others, or boasting and making ourselves important where the work is already done. °17Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.°18 It is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. ¤11 °1 May you bear with me in some little foolishness! But surely you will. °2 I confess that I share the jealousy of God for you, for I have promised you in marriage to Christ, the only spouse, to present you to him as a pure virgin. °3 And this is my fear: the serpent that seduced Eve with cunning could also corrupt your minds and divert you from the Christian sincerity. °4 Someone now comes and preaches another Jesus different from the one we preach, or you are offered a different spirit from the one you have received, with a different Gospel from the one you have accepted – and you agree! °5 I do not see how I am inferior to those super-apostles. °6 Does my speaking leave much to be desired? Perhaps, but not my knowledge, as I have abundantly shown to you in every way. § Paul commends the apostle Paul
°7 Perhaps my sin was that I humbled myself in order to uplift you, or that I gave you the Gospel free of charge. °8 I called upon the services of other churches and served you with the support I received from them. °9 When I was with you, although I was in need, I did not become a burden to anyone. The friends from Macedonia gave me what I needed. I have taken care not to be a burden to you in anything and I will continue to do so. °10 By the truth of Christ within me, I will let no one in the land of Achaia stop this boasting of mine. °11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do! °12 Yet I do and I will continue to do so to silence any people anxious to appear as equal to me: this is my glory. °13 In reality, they are false apostles, deceivers disguised as apostles of Christ. °14 It is not surprising: if Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, °15 his servants can easily disguise themselves as ministers of salvation, until they receive what their deeds deserve. °16 I say again: Do not take me for a fool, but if you do take me as such, bear with me that I may sing my own praises a little. °17 I will not speak in the language of Christ, but in that of a fool, bringing my own merits to prominence. °18 As some people boast of human advantages, I will do the same. °19 Fortunately you bear rather well with fools, you who are so wise! °20 You tolerate being enslaved, and exploited, robbed, treated with contempt and slapped in the face. °21 What a shame that I acted so weakly with you! But if others are so bold, I shall also dare, although I may speak like a fool. °22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. °23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I begin to talk like a madman) I am better than they. Better than they with my numerous labors. Better than they with the time spent in prison. The beatings I received are beyond comparison. How many times have I found myself in danger of death! °24 Five times the Jews sentenced me to thirty-nine lashes. °25 Three times I was beaten with a rod, once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked, and once I spent a night and a day adrift on the high seas. °26 I have been continually in hazards of traveling because of rivers, because of bandits, because of my fellow Jews, or because of the pagans; in danger in the city, in the open country, at sea; in danger from false brothers. °27 I have worked and often labored without sleep, I have been hungry and thirsty and starving, cold and without shelter. °28 Besides these and other things, there was my daily concern for all the churches. °29 Whoever wavers, do I not waver with him? Whoever stumbles, am I not on hot bricks? °30 If it is necessary to boast, let me proclaim the occasions on which I was found weak. °31 The God and Father of Jesus the Lord – may he be blessed for ever! – knows that I speak the truth. °32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas placed the city under guard in order to arrest me, °33 and I had to be let down in a basket through a window in the wall. In that way I slipped through his hands. § Extraordinary graces¤12 °1 It is useless to boast; but if I have to, I will go on to some visions and revelations of the Lord. °2 I know a certain Christian: fourteen years ago he was taken up to the third heaven. °3 Whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, God knows. But I know that this man, whether in the body or out of the body – I do not know, God knows – °4 was taken up to Paradise where he heard words that cannot be told: things which humans cannot express. °5 Of that man I can indeed boast, but of myself I will not boast except of my weaknesses. °6 If I wanted to boast, it would not be foolish of me, for I would speak the truth. °7 However, I better give up lest somebody think more of me than what is seen in me or heard from me. Lest I become proud after so many and extraordinary revelations, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a true messenger of Satan, to slap me in the face. °8 Three times I prayed to the Lord that it leave me, °9 but he answered, “My grace is enough for you; my great strength is revealed in weakness.” Gladly, then, will I boast of my weakness that the strength of Christ may be mine. °10 So I rejoice when I suffer infirmities, humiliations, want, persecutions: all for Christ! For when I am weak, then I am strong. °11 I have acted as a fool but you forced me. You should have been the ones commending me. Yet I do not feel outdone by those super-apostles, °12 even though I am nothing. All the signs of a true apostle are found in me: patience in all trials, signs, miracles and wonders. °13 Now, in what way were you not treated like the rest of the churches? Only in this: I was not a burden to you – forgive me for this offense! § This is my third visit to you
°14 For the third time I plan to visit you, and I will not be a burden to you, for I am not interested in what you have but only in you. Children should not have to collect money for their parents, but the parents for their children. °15 As for me, I am ready to spend whatever I have and even my whole self for all of you. If I love you so much, am I to be loved less? °16 Well, I was not a burden to you, but was it not a trick to deceive you? Tell me: °17 Did I take money from you through any of my messengers? °18 I asked Titus to go to you and I sent another brother with him. But did Titus take money from you? Have we not both acted in the same spirit? °19 Perhaps you think that we are again apologizing; but no: we speak in Christ and before God, and I do this for you, dear friends, to build you up. °20 I fear that if I go and see you, I might not find you as I would wish, and you in turn, might not find me to your liking. I might see rivalries, envy, grudges, disputes, slanders, gossip, conceit, disorder. °21 Let it not be that in coming again to you, God humble me because of you and I have to grieve over so many of you who live in sin, on seeing that they have not yet given up an impure way of living, their wicked conduct and the vices they formerly practiced. ¤13 °1 This will be my third visit to you.Any charge must be decided upon by the declaration of two or three witnesses.°2 I have said and I say again, being still far away, just as I did on my second visit I say to you who lived in sin as well as to the rest: when I return to you, I will not have pity. °3 You want to know if Christ is speaking through me? So you will. He is not used to dealing weakly with you, but rather he acts with power. °4 If he was crucified in his weakness, now he lives by the strength of God; and so we are weak with him, but we will be well alive with him, because God acts powerfully with you. °5 Examine yourselves: are you acting according to faith? Test yourselves. Can you assert that Christ Jesus is in you? °6 If not, you have failed the test. I hope you recognize that we ourselves have not failed it. °7 We pray God that you may do no wrong, not that we wish to be acknowledged but we want you to do right, even if in this we appear to have failed. °8 For we do not have power against the truth, but only for the truth. °9 We rejoice if we are weak while you are strong, for all we hope is that you become perfect. °10 This is why I am writing now, so that when I come I may not have to act strictly and make use of the authority the Lord has given me for building up and not for destroying. °11 Finally, brothers and sisters, be happy, strive to be perfect, have courage, be of one mind and live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. °12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. °13 The grace of Christ Jesus the Lord, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. The End. |