1 I am about to pay you a third visit. “Every matter must be established firmly on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”+ 2 I have already given warning, and am again giving warning—as while there with you on my second visit, so while not there with you now—to those who continue in the sinful things they were doing prior to my last visit and to all the others: “If I return,” I warned, “I will not spare strong discipline, 3 since it is proof that you are demanding, of the Messiah speaking through me”—the Messiah who in dealing with you is certainly not weak, but makes his power felt among you. 4 Although he was crucified as a result of his weakness, you see, he lives again as a result of God showing his power. Although we, likewise, you see, are weak in union with him, we will be in fellowship with his life by the power of God in our dealings with you. 5  Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves. Surely you realize, don’t you, that it is Jesus the Messiah who dwells in you?—unless, of course, you are shown to be, when placed under scrutiny, frauds. 6 And I am confident that you will come to see that we are not in that category. 7 Now we pray to God that you will refrain from doing anything evil, not so that we may appear to be, upon examination, approved as genuine, but so that you may do what is right, even if, in our case, frauds are what we are thought to be. 8 We cannot do anything against the truth, you see, but only for the truth. 9 We rejoice, you see, when our weakness means your strength. This is what we are also praying for: Your restoration to proper order. 10 Here is the reason I am writing these things while not there with you: So that when I am there with you, I won’t have to be severe in my exercise of the authority that the Lord entrusted to me for the purpose of building you up, and not for tearing you down.

11 And now, brothers and sisters, I’ll conclude with this: Rejoice, allow yourselves to be restored to proper order, heed my appeals, have the same humble attitude, conduct yourselves peacefully. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 The Lord’s holy people, all of them, greet you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.