1 This is the third time I am coming to you. “By the testimony of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”
2 I spoke a warning, when I was with you the second time. Though now I am away, I am again speaking a warning to those who have sinned before, as well as to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone—
3 since you are demanding proof that Messiah is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you, but powerful among you.
4 For He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him by God’s power toward you.
5 Test yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or don’t you know yourselves—that Messiah Yeshua is in you? Unless of course you failed the test.
6 But I hope that you will realize that we haven’t failed the test.
7 Now we pray to God that you do no wrong—not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but in order that you may do what is right even if we may seem to have failed.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.
9 For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this—your perfecting.
10 For this reason I write these things while I am absent, so that when I am present I need not proceed harshly, according to the authority which the Lord gave me—for building up and not for tearing down.
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Aim for restoration, encourage one another, be of the same mind, live in shalom—and the God of love and shalom will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the kedoshim greet you.
13 The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and the love of God and the fellowship of the Ruach ha-Kodesh be with you all. Amen.