1This is the third time I am coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every declaration shall be established.2I have already foretold and now foretell, as one who is present the second time and absent now, to those who sinned beforehand and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare.3Since you are seeking proof of the one speaking in me, Christ, who toward you is not weak but powerful among you.4For he was crucified out of weakness, yet lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, yet we will live with him by the power of God toward you.5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Or do you not recognize yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?6But I hope that you will come to know that we are not failing the test.7We pray to God that you may do no evil at all—not so that we may appear approved, but so that you may do what is good, even if we seem to fail the test.8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.9For we rejoice whenever we are weak and you are strong; and we pray for your restoration.10For this reason I write these things while absent, so that when present I may not deal severely according to the authority that the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.