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.