Final Warnings
1 xThis is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established yby the evidence of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned zthose who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— 3 since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For ahe was crucified in weakness, but lives bby the power of God. For we also are cweak in him, but in dealing with you dwe will live with him by the power of God.
5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. eTest yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is fin you?—gunless indeed you hfail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we are glad when iwe are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. 10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come jI may not have to be severe in my use of kthe authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
Final Greetings
11 Finally, brothers,1 rejoice. Aim for restoration, lcomfort one another,2 magree with one another, nlive in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 oGreet one another with a holy kiss. 13 pAll the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the qfellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Proverbs of Solomon
1 The gproverbs of Solomon.
hA wise son makes a glad ifather,
but ja foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
2 kTreasures gained lby wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
3 mThe Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 nA slack hand causes poverty,
obut the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers pin summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
qbut the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.1
7 rThe memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but sa babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 Whoever twalks in integrity uwalks securely,
but he who makes his ways vcrooked will be found out.
10 Whoever wwinks the eye causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous xis a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up ystrife,
but love zcovers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but aa rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
14 The wise lay up knowledge,
bbut the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 cA rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 dThe wage of the righteous leads to elife,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds finstruction is on the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
18 The one who gconceals hatred has hlying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 iWhen words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but jwhoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is kchoice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.2
23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,
but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him,
but lthe desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 mWhen the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but the righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord nprolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 oThe hope of the righteous brings joy,
but pthe expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
qbut destruction to evildoers.
30 rThe righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 sThe mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the tperverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
