1 This will be my third visit to you: every case is to be decided on the evidence of two or of three witnesses.
2 I warned you already, on my second visit, and I warn you now before I come, both you who sinned some time ago and the rest of you as well, that I will spare no one if I come back.
3 That will prove to you that I am indeed a spokesman of Christ. It is no weak Christ you have to do with, but a Christ of power.
4 For though he was crucified in his weakness, he lives by the power of God; and though I am weak as he was weak, you will find I am alive as he is alive by the power of God.
5 Put yourselves to the proof, not me; test yourselves, to see if you are in the faith. Do you not understand that Christ Jesus is within you? Otherwise you must be failures.
6 But I trust you will find I am no failure,
7 and I pray to God that you may not go wrong ??not to prove I am a success, that is not the point, but that you should come right, even if I seemed to be a failure.
8 (Fail or succeed, I cannot work against the truth but for it!)
9 I am glad to be weak if you are strong; mend your ways, that is all I ask.
10 I am writing thus to you in absence, so that when I do come I may not have to deal sharply with you; I have the Lord's authority for that, but he gave it to me for building you up, not for demolishing you.