1 This third time I am coming to you; by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
2 I have said before, and I now foretell as if present a second time, although absent, to those who have already sinned and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare;
3 since you seek a proof in me of Christ speaking, who is not weak to you but powerful in you;
4 for though he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God; and we also are weak in him, but live with him by the power of God in you.
5 Try yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves; or know you not yourselves that Christ is in you unless you are reprobates?
6 But I hope you will know that we are not reprobates.
7 We wish to God that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do good though we should be as reprobates.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
9 For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong; and we desire this, your perfection.
10 For this reason, being absent, I write these things, that I may not use sharpness when present, with the power which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for pulling down.