Dual PanelFinal Warnings and Greetings
1I will come to you again. This will be the third time. And remember, “For every complaint there must be two or three people to say that they know it is true.”
2When I was with you the second time, I gave a warning to those people who had sinned. Now I am away from you, and I give a warning to all the other people {who have sinned} : When I come to you again, I will punish you {for your sin}.
3You want proof that Christ is speaking through me. {My proof is that} Christ is not weak in {punishing} you. But Christ is powerful among you.
4It is true that Christ was weak when he was killed on the cross. But he lives now by God’s power. And it is true that we are weak in Christ. But for you we will be alive in Christ by God’s power.
5Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are {living} in the faith. You know that Christ Jesus is in you. But if you fail the test (are not living in the faith), then Christ is not living in you.
6But I hope you will see that we have not failed the test.
7We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. It is not important that people see that we have passed the test. But it is important that you do what is right, even if {people think} that we have failed the test.
8We cannot do things that are against the truth. We can only do things that are for the truth.
9We are happy to be weak, if you are strong. And we pray that you will grow stronger and stronger.
10I’m writing these things while I’m not with you. I’m writing so that when I come I will not have to use my power to punish you. The Lord gave me that power to make you stronger, not to destroy you.
11Now, brothers and sisters, I say good-bye. Try to be perfect. Do the things I have asked you to do. Agree in your minds with each other, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
12Give each other a holy kiss when you greet each other.
13All God’s holy people
14The grace (kindness) of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship (sharing) of the Holy Spirit