1 This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 2 I have warned previously, and I warn again, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now and to all the rest that if I come again, I will not spare, 3 seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me who is not weak, but is powerful in you. 4 For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God towards you. 5 Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know about your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I hope that you will know that we aren’t disqualified. 7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honourable, though we may seem to have failed. 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. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect. 10 For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down. 11 Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
2 Corinthians · World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
2 Corinthians 13 World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
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)