Final Warnings and Greetings
1 This is now the third time that I am coming to visit you. “Any accusation must be upheld by the evidence of two or more witnesses”—as the scripture says. 2 I want to tell those of you who have sinned in the past, and all the others; I said it before during my second visit to you, but I will say it again now that I am away: the next time I come nobody will escape punishment. 3 You will have all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. When he deals with you, he is not weak; instead, he shows his power among you. 4 For even though it was in weakness that he was put to death on the cross, it is by God's power that he lives. In union with him we also are weak; but in our relations with you we shall share God's power in his life.
5 Put yourselves to the test and judge yourselves, to find out whether you are living in faith. Surely you know that Christ Jesus is in you?—unless you have completely failed. 6 I trust you will know that we are not failures. 7 We pray to God that you will do no wrong—not in order to show that we are a success, but so that you may do what is right, even though we may seem to be failures. 8 For we cannot do a thing against the truth, but only for it. 9 We are glad when we are weak but you are strong. And so we also pray that you will become perfect. 10 That is why I write this while I am away from you; it is so that when I arrive I will not have to deal harshly with you in using the authority that the Lord has given me—authority to build you up, not to tear you down.
11 And now, my friends, good-bye! Strive for perfection; listen to my appeals; agree with one another; live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with the kiss of peace.
All of God's people send you their greetings.
13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
1 Jau trešo reizi es nāku pie jums. Katra lieta pamatojas uz liecību no divu vai triju liecinieku mutes. 2 To es jau esmu teicis un saku arī tagad, kā otrreiz pie jums būdams, tā tagad no tālienes, visiem, kas jau grēkojuši, un visiem pārējiem, ka es nesaudzēšu nevienu, ja atkal nākšu pie jums. 3 Jūs vēlaties pierādījumu, ka Kristus manī runā; Viņš nav nespēcīgs, bet spēcīgs jūsu vidū. 4 Jo jebšu Viņš krustā sists nespēkā, bet Viņš ir dzīvs Dieva spēkā; tāpat arī mēs esam nespēcīgi, bet ar Viņu dzīvosim Dieva spēkā jūsu vidū. 5 Pārbaudait paši sevi, vai stāvat ticībā, izmeklējiet paši sevi. Jeb vai neesat pārliecināti, ka Jēzus Kristus ir jūsos? Citādi jūs esat nederīgi. 6 Bet es ceru, jūs atzīsit, ka mēs neesam nederīgi. 7 Mēs lūdzam Dievu, ka jūs nedarāt nekā ļauna, mēs netiecamies pēc tā, lai mūs uzskata par derīgiem, bet lai jūs būtu laba darītāji, un mēs paliktu it kā nederīgi. 8 Jo mēs nekā nespējam pret patiesību, bet tikai par patiesību. 9 Mēs priecājamies, kad esam nespēcīgi, bet jūs stipri; to mēs arī izlūdzamies, ka jūs topat pilnīgi. 10 Tādēļ es jums to rakstu no tālienes, lai man klāt esot nevajadzētu lietot bardzību pēc tās pilnvaras, ko Tas Kungs man devis celšanai un ne postīšanai. 11 Beidzot, brāļi, esiet līksmi, topiet pilnīgi, iepriecinājieties savā starpā, esiet vienprātīgi, turiet mieru; tad mīlestības un miera Dievs būs ar jums. 12 Sveiciniet cits citu ar svēto skūpstu. Visi svētie jūs sveicina. 13 Kunga Jēzus Kristus žēlastība un Dieva mīlestība un svētā Gara sadraudzība lai ir ar jums visiem!
