1 Now come I the third time unto you: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall everything stand."
2 I told you before, and tell you before, and as I said when I was present with you the second time, so write I now, being absent, to them which in time past have sinned, and to all others: that if I come again, I will not spare;
3 seeing that ye seek experience of Christ which speaketh in me, which among you is not weak, but is mighty in you.
4 And verily, though it came of weakness that he was crucified, yet liveth he through the power of God: and we no doubt are weak in him; but we shall live with him, by the might of God among you.
5 Prove yourselves whether ye are in the faith or not. Examine your own selves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be castaways?
6 I trust that ye shall know that we are not castaways.
7 I desire before God that ye do none evil, not that we should seem commendable: but that ye should do that which is honest, and let us be counted as lewd persons.
8 We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
9 We are glad when we are weak, and ye strong. This also we wish for, even that ye were perfect.
10 Therefore write I these things being absent, lest when I am present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me, to edify, and not to destroy.