1 This is my third visit to you. “Any charge must be verified by two or three witnesses.” 2 I already warned those of you who were sinning when I visited the second time. Even though I'm not there, I'm warning them again—and all the rest of you—that when I visit I won't hesitate to act against them, 3 since you're demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in the way he relates to you; rather he works powerfully among you. 4 Even though he was crucified in weakness, now he lives through the power of God. We too are weak in him, but you will see that we live with him through the power of God. 5 Examine yourselves to see if you are trusting God. Put yourselves to the test. Don't you yourselves realize that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless you have failed the test… 6 However, I hope that you realize that we have not failed the test. 7 We pray to God that you won't do anything bad—not so we can show we passed the test, but so you can do what is good, even if we appear to be failures. 8 We can't do anything against the truth, only for the truth. 9 We're happy when we are weak, and you are strong—we pray that you may continue to improve. 10 That is why I write about this while I'm not with you, so that when I am with you I won't have to treat you harshly by imposing my authority. The Lord gave me authority for building up, not for tearing down. 11 Finally, brothers and sisters, I say goodbye. Continue to improve spiritually. Encourage one another. Be in agreement. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet each other with Christian affection. 13 All the believers here send their greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians · Free Bible Version
2 Corinthians 13 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (14)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 18:16; Deuteronomy 19:15; Deuteronomy 17:6; John 8:17–18; Numbers 35:30
- 2 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 10:8–11; 2 Corinthians 10:1–2; 2 Corinthians 12:20–21; 1 Corinthians 5:5
- 3 Matthew 10:20; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Luke 21:15; 2 Corinthians 10:8–10; 1 Corinthians 9:1–3
- 4 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 10:3–4; Romans 6:8–11; 2 Timothy 2:11–12
- 5 Lamentations 3:40; 1 Corinthians 11:28; Psalm 139:23–24; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Revelation 2:5
- 6 2 Corinthians 12:20; 2 Corinthians 13:3–4; 2 Corinthians 13:10
- 7 James 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:18; Philippians 4:8
- 8 Proverbs 21:30; Mark 9:39; Acts 4:28–30; Hebrews 2:3–4; Numbers 16:28–35
- 9 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Corinthians 4:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Peter 5:10; 2 Corinthians 12:5–10
- 10 2 Corinthians 10:8; 2 Corinthians 2:3; Titus 1:13; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:2
- 11 Hebrews 12:14; Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Romans 15:33; Romans 12:18
- 12 Romans 16:16; 1 Peter 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Corinthians 16:20
- 13 Philippians 4:21–22; Philemon 23–24; Romans 16:16; 2 John 13; 3 John 14
- 14 Ephesians 2:22; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 16:23; Romans 16:20; Jude 21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The wisdom of Paul and his much tender affection, one may observe in many other circumstances, but especially in this, his being so abundant and vehement in his admonitions, but so tardy and procrastinating in his punishments.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
… say, from the race of Israel, He has assumed flesh and blood that He might suffer; "and he was drunken," that is, He suffered; "and was naked," that is, His weakness appeared in His suffering, as the apostle says, "though He was crucified through weakness." Wherefore the same apostle says, "The weakness of God is stronger than men; and the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Paul says to his hearers, Or seek ye a proof of Christ that speaketh in me?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
So Paul speaks in Christ, saying "In the sight of God we speak in Christ," and Christ in Paul, as he himself says "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me." So also in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries, and again the Spirit speaks in him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
For He did not speak in contradiction to His Apostle, seeing that He Himself spoke "in" him also, as he says, "Would ye receive a proof of Christ, who speaketh in me?" Christ in the Gospel, Christ in the Apostle: Christ therefore spake both; one by His own Mouth, the other by the mouth of His herald.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)