К Коринфянам второе послание Апостола Павла

Written, probably, when the Apostle was from Macedonia, on his third journey around 55 A.D. In the short period of time between the two famous letters to the Corinthians, the Apostle apparently visited Corinth a second time (2 Cor. 12-14; 13-1). Returning to Ephesus, the Apostle wrote another letter to Corinth, which has not reached us. But soon the unrest stirred up among the people by the artisan Demetrius forced the Apostle to flee from Ephesus (Acts 19; 2 Cor. 1–8). He headed to Troas, thinking to find Titus there, expected from Corinth; but he waited in vain (2 Cor. 2-13) and without waiting he went to Macedonia. Here he finally met Titus (2 Cor. 7–6), who rejoiced him with the news of the love of the people in Corinth for him. However, at the same time he learned that there are people who, indignant against him, persecute him with slander and slander. All this prompted the Apostle to write a second letter, in which, thanking his flock for their love and devotion, he defends his personal character and the power of his apostolic ministry from insidious attacks and slander. Paul, by the will of God an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy brother - the church of God existing in Corinth, with all the saints in all Achaia. Graceful consolation in sorrow and suffering Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. From Him comes comfort to us in all sorrow, so that we may also be able to console those who are in any sorrow with the consolation that God sends to us. For as the share of Christ’s sufferings comes to us, so does our consolation come through the power of Christ. Do we grieve, we grieve for your consolation and salvation: and its completion will be in you when you experience with patience the same sufferings that we endure. And our hope for you is strong and unmoving. And we are comforted for your consolation and salvation, knowing that just as your fellowship with us is in suffering, so is it in consolation. We do not want to leave you, brethren, ignorant of our sorrow that happened to us in Asia: we were in great hardship, beyond our strength, so that we did not hope to stay alive. And they themselves already felt certain death, so that there was no longer any hope left for themselves, but only for God, who restores them from death. And God delivered us from such a near death, and is delivering us, and we hope in Him that He will continue to deliver us in the future, when your prayer for us also helps. And then thanksgiving will rise from many for the grace brought down to you through many prayers. This is our glory, according to the testimony of our conscience, that in the simplicity and sincerity of the Spirit of God we lived in the world, especially among you, and not by carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God. And when we write to you, we write nothing less than what you read or understand. And I hope that you will fully understand, as you have already partially understood about us, that we will be your glory, just as you will be our glory in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why did the Apostle delay going to the Corinthians? And in this confidence I wanted first of all to go to you, in order to bring you joy a second time, and through you to go to Macedonia, and from Macedonia I will come to you again, and you would escort me to Judea. When that was my intention, where is the frivolity in that? Or, do you think, when I decided to do something, it was only out of a carnal impulse that I decided to do it, and I was like, no, no? No, God is faithful that our word to you was not like this, sometimes no-no, sometimes no-no. The Son of God Jesus Christ, preached among you by us, by me and by Silouan and Timothy, was not like this: she-she and neither-nor, but in Himself it was: she-unchangeable. All the promises of God are in Him to her, and in Him amen, we say, to the glory of God. God confirms you and me in Christ - and anointed us and sealed us and gave the betrothal of the Spirit into our hearts. I call God to be a witness for my soul, that, sparing you, I have not yet come to Corinth. Not because we would like to have power over your faith: no, we want to help your joy, but in your faith you stand firm. But I decided within myself not to come to you again with grief. If I bring you sorrow, then who will make me happy, unless someone is upset by me? I wrote to you about this very thing: it was dangerous if I came, so as not to have grief from those about whom I should rejoice; and about all of you, I was sure that my joy was joy for all of you. Out of great sorrow and from a constricted heart, I wrote to you with many tears, not to upset you, but so that you would know how overwhelming my love for you is. If anyone has made me sad, it is not me alone, but partly (not to say much) and all of you. And enough for such a man is the punishment of many, so it’s best for you, on the contrary, to forgive him and console him, so that he is not depressed by excessive sadness, and therefore I pray you to show him love. And I wrote to you in order to find out from experience whether you will be obedient in everything. Whoever you forgive for anything, I also forgive him: and I, if I have forgiven anyone for anything, for your sake I have forgiven on behalf of Christ, so that Satan does not deceive us to harm us, for his plans are not unknown to you. When I came to Troas to preach the Gospel of Christ, the door of the gospel of the Lord was opened to me, but there was no rest for my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there; and so, having said goodbye to them, he went to Macedonia. But thanks be to God! He always gives us victory in Christ, and in every place carries through us the sweet spirit of the knowledge of God. For we are the aroma of Christ, which ascends to God both among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: for some it is the spirit of death unto death, and for others the spirit of life unto life. And who would be capable of this! We are not like many who uncleanly preach the word of God, but with all sincerity, as those called of God (called), we speak before God in Christ. Chapter 3. The Glory of the Law and the Glory of the Gospel Should we really get acquainted again, warning you about ourselves? Do we really need, as others do, letters of information to you or from you? You are our message, written in our hearts, known and read by all people. And it is clear to everyone that you are the message of Christ, written through our ministry - not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh of the heart. We have such confidence in God, from Christ. But so that we ourselves are able to think that from ourselves, as if by our own strength, but our ability is from God. He has given us the ability to be ministers of the New Testament, not in letter, but in spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. If death, bearing the service of the letter, inscribed on the stones, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look upon the face of Moses, for the sake of the glory of his face that was passing away, - then will there not be much greater glory for the service of the spirit? If the ministry of condemnation is in glory, then the more the ministry of justification shines with glory. That which was previously glorified in part lost its glory when a superior glory appeared: If the things that pass away were glorious, much more are the things that remain glorious. Having this hope, we act with great boldness: not like Moses, when he put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not look at the end (at exhaustion) of the passing. But their thoughts were blinded, and to this day the same veil lies untaken during the reading of the Old Testament: Christ removes it. To this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; but when they turn to the Lord, the veil is removed (Ex. 34). The Spirit is the Lord, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with open face beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image (of Him) from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord (by the power of the Spirit of the Lord). So, having been called by the grace of God for such service, let us not lose heart; but, having rejected the mystery of shameful deeds, they are alien to all guile, and do not distort the words of God with flattery. We show people the truth, and in this we present ourselves to the conscience of every person before God. But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who are perishing, for those who do not believe, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, would not shine upon them. We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. God Himself, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts, so that in the light we may be worthy to reveal the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Human weakness and the power of Christ in it But we carry this treasure in meager (clay) vessels, so that the superior power is not visible to us, but to God. We suffer oppression from everywhere, but are not embittered; we are confused, but do not despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; we are cast down, but we do not perish. We always carry in our body the mortality of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. And we who are alive are continually given over to the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh, so that death is at work in us, and life is at work in you. But in the same spirit of faith, as it is written: “When we believed, we also spoke” (Ps. 115), and we believe and therefore we speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us and Jesus and place us before Him with you. For all this is for you, so that grace, multiplying in people, may fill many more hearts with gratitude for the glory of God. Therefore, let us not lose heart; but if our outer man is decaying, then our inner man is being renewed from day to day; and the light burden of our temporary suffering prepares for us in immeasurable abundance the wealth of eternal glory. We do not look at what is visible, but at what is invisible; For what is visible is temporary, but what is invisible is eternal. We know that when our earthly church of the body is destroyed, we have a creation of God, a church not made by hands, eternal in heaven. For this reason we sigh, desiring to be clothed with our heavenly habitation, so long as we who are clothed do not find ourselves naked. For while we remain in this body, we groan under the burden, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed (in the heavenly body) so that what is mortal is swallowed up in life. For this very purpose (for such a transformation) God created (prepared) us, and for this he gave us the betrothal of the Spirit. So we are always confident: we know that while living in the body we are wandering from the Lord, For we walk by faith, and not by sight; therefore we have boldness and desire rather to leave our body and be at home with the Lord, and we strive for this, so that both when we enter and when we leave, we are pleasing to Him. For we must all appear (as we are) at the judgment seat of Christ with everything that each has done in his body, both good and evil, so that each may receive what is worthy for himself. The power of apostolic ministry is in Christ So, knowing the fear of the Lord, we instruct people, but our hearts are open to God; I hope that your conscience is also open. We are not praising ourselves again to you, but we are giving you a reason to boast about us, so that you can give an answer to those who boast in their appearance (outward appearance) and not in their heart. If we lose our temper, it’s for God’s sake; if in a quiet mind, then for your sake. For the love of God embraces us when we reason like this: if one died for all, then all died. Christ died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them. Therefore, from now on we do not want to understand anyone according to the flesh (according to carnal judgment); if before we understood Christ according to the flesh, now we no longer understand it that way. Now if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what was ancient has passed away: everything has become new. All things are from God (the work of God): God in Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; for God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself, not imputing their crimes to people, and He laid upon us the word of reconciliation. So, we are messengers in the name of Christ, and it is as if God Himself is calling through us. In the name of Christ we pray to you: make peace with God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we may be justified before God. We, as companions (of God), pray to you that the grace of God that you have received in you will not be in vain. It is said: “In a favorable time I heard you and on the day of salvation I helped you” (Is. 49). Now is the favorable time, now is the day of salvation. We do not cause anyone to stumble in anything, so that our service may be blameless; but in everything we show ourselves as servants of God, in much patience, in sorrows, in troubles, in cramped conditions, in wounds, in prisons, among the rebellious crowd, in labor, in vigils, in fasting; in purity, in intelligence, in long-suffering, in kindness, in holiness of the Spirit, in unfeigned love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; bearing the weapon of righteousness with both gum and skin, in honor and in dishonor, in reproach and praise, we are reputed to be deceivers and we are true. It is as if we are unknown and become known; as if we were lying at the point of death, and behold, we are alive; We are punished, but not killed. In unceasing sorrow, we always rejoice; poor, but we enrich many; We have nothing, but we possess everything. A Warning Against Communion with Pagans Our lips are open to you, Corinthians, our heart is open. You are not cramped in us, but we are cramped in your hearts. Answer us the same as we do - I say to you as children - and you open your hearts to us. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What fellowship does righteousness have with iniquity? What does light have in common with darkness? What agreement can Christ have with Belial? What is the complicity of the faithful with the infidel? What is the combination of the church of God with idols? After all, you are the church of the living God: this was the voice of God: “I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. Therefore, come out from among them and separate yourself, says the Lord, and do not touch uncleanness, and I will receive you, “And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me,” says the Lord Almighty” (Lev.26). Having such promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, living a holy life in the fear of God. Accommodate us (in your hearts): we have not offended anyone, we have not harmed anyone, we have not sought gain from anyone. I do not say this as a condemnation: I said before that you are in our hearts - both for death and for life with you. I have great confidence in you, I boast a lot about you, I am filled with consolation and, despite all our sorrows, I rejoice with all my heart. The Apostle's joy over his flock after former fears When we came to Macedonia, there was no peace for our flesh; in grief from everywhere: from outside - attacks, in the soul - fears. But God, the joy of the humble, comforted us with the arrival of Titus, and not only by his arrival, but also by the consolation with which you consoled him: he told us about your zeal, about your crying, about your jealousy for me, and I rejoiced even more. So, if I saddened you with the message, I don’t regret it, although I was ready to regret it - for I see that that message saddened you, however, for a while. Now I rejoice—not that you were saddened, but that you were saddened to repentance, saddened according to God, so that you did not suffer from us in anything. Sorrow for God’s sake leads to repentance, which is immutable to salvation, while worldly sorrow leads to death. And look, the very thing that made you sad for God’s sake, what zeal produced in you, and how many more apologies it aroused, what indignation aroused, what fear, what desire, what jealousy, what an impulse to avenge guilt! And for this reason you have shown yourself to be pure in this matter. If I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who offended, and not for the sake of the offended, but so that our care for you would be clear to you, before God. Therefore we were comforted by your consolation; What made us especially happy was Titov’s joy that you all calmed his spirit. So, if I boasted about you before him, I did not remain in shame; but as we have all told you in truth, so our praise has truly appeared before Titus. And his heartfelt love for you increased when he remembered how everyone showed him obedience, and how they accepted him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that I have such confidence in you in everything! Chapter 8. Example of the Macedonian churches We inform you, brothers, about the mercy of God given to the churches of Macedonia, how, in the midst of many and sorrowful trials, joy abounds in them, and their deep poverty exudes the rich gift of generosity. I am a witness how willing they are not only in their strength, but also beyond their strength, and with what zeal they asked us to accept their gift and participation in the service of the saints. And not only what we hoped for, but they gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and, according to the will of God, to us. Therefore, we asked Titus that, just as he had begun before, he would also complete this good work with you. And as you are filled with everything - faith and word and reason and all your zeal and love for us, show yourself as such in this good deed. Completion of the gathering in the Corinthian Church I am not speaking as an order to you, but by pointing out the zeal of others, I thereby experience the sincerity of your love. You know the gracious love of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake He was rich and became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich. And this is my suggestion to you, for your benefit: you have started the task, but you began to desire this last year. Now complete the work itself, so that what you earnestly desired will be fulfilled according to your wealth, for when there is zeal, the gift is favorable, judging by the wealth of each, and not by what he does not have. It is not required that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but that one should be equalized with the other: now from your excess their deficiency will be replenished, and then from their excess your deficiency will be replenished, so that it will be evenly distributed. So it is written: “Whoever gathered a lot did not increase his own, and whoever gathered a little did not decrease his own” (Ex. 16). Thanks be to God, who has placed such zeal for you in Tito’s heart. And I myself asked him, but he, out of his zeal, of his own free will, went to you. We also sent with him a brother, who has a good reputation in all churches for his work of evangelism. Moreover, he was appointed by the churches to walk with us for the sake of this good work, which we serve for the glory of the Lord Himself and according to our zeal. But we are careful not to be criticized by anyone in this ministry for the sake of the many gifts that have been entrusted to us. We provide everything for good, not only before God, but also before people. So, we sent with him our brother, whose efforts in many ways we have experienced many times, but now he will try even more, out of great confidence in you. About Titus I will say that he is my friend and colleague for you; and our brothers are messengers from the churches, the glory of Christ. So, before the churches, show them evidence of your love and justification of our praise for you. However, it is unnecessary for me to write to you about helping the saints: I know your zeal, and I boast about you before the Macedonians - I tell them that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your jealousy has aroused many. I sent my brothers so that my praise of you would not be in vain, but so that you would be ready, according to my word, and when the Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, lest we, I say you, remain in shame, having boasted with such confidence. So, I considered it necessary to persuade the brothers so that they would go to you in advance, and so that your goodness, already announced, would be ready, and as a goodness, and not as a collection by order. In what spirit should charity be? Remember what is said: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (Prov. 11:19). Each one should give according to the disposition of his heart, not grudgingly, not out of compulsion: “God loves a willing giver” (Deut. 15). But God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound in every good work, as it is written: “Give to the needy, his righteousness endures forever” (Ps. 111). He who gives seed to the sower and bread for food will give abundance to your seed and multiply the fruits of your righteousness. And you will be rich in all kinds of generosity, and from it, through us, much thanksgiving to God will flow. For the work of this ministry not only replenishes the poverty of the saints, but also gives rise to abundant thanksgiving to God. For, seeing in this the justification of our ministry, they will glorify God for our faithfulness in our confession of the Gospel of Christ and for the simplicity in communication with them and with everyone, and they will pray for you, from the heart’s desire for you, for the abundant grace of God revealed in you. Thanks be to God for His ineffable gift! Chapter 10. The Power and Praise of the Apostleship I myself am Paul, humble when I am face to face with you, bold when in absence I turn to you, I pray to you with the meekness and quietness of Christ - Take heed when I come to you, so that I do not have to use boldness against others who think about us that we act according to the carnal custom. No, we live according to the flesh, but we do not fight according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but in the power of God, for the pulling down of strongholds. By them we overthrow ideas and every exaltation that rebels against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every mind to the obedience of Christ; and are ready to reward all your disobedience with punishment when your obedience comes to fullness. Or do you judge only by appearance? Whoever is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, judge for himself that just as he is Christ’s, so we are Christ’s. And even if I had boasted too much about our power, which the Lord gave us for the purpose of building, and not destroying, you (your faith), I would not remain in shame. Do not think, however, that I want to frighten you with messages. They say: “his messages are strict and impressive, but when he is on his face, he is weak and his speech is insignificant.” But whoever says this, let him know that, as they are in words in absentia in letters, they are also in person in deed. We do not dare compare or compare ourselves with those who put themselves forward: they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves unreasonably. And we will not boast without measure, but according to the measure of the inheritance that God has assigned to us, in such a measure as to reach you. We do not strain ourselves, as if we were not coming to you: after all, we have come to you with the gospel of Christ 31 . We do not boast without measure, and not in the works of others; but we hope, as your faith grows, to further spread among you the inheritance of our teaching, that is, preach the Gospel even outside your borders, and not boast in someone else’s inheritance of what has already been prepared there. “If anyone boasts, let him boast in the Lord” (Jer. 9). It is not the one who praises himself who is honored, but the one whom the Lord praises. If only you would have some mercy for my stupidity! But you really are patient with me. After all, I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God: I betrothed you to one husband, as if to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid: just as the serpent deceived Eve with his wickedness, so your minds would not have fallen away from the simplicity in Christ. But if a stranger preached another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you received another Spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you received, you would suffer it willingly! But I think that I am in no way less than the highest Apostles. Although I am not skilled in speech, I am not skilled in knowledge; however, all this has become known to you everywhere and in everything. Or did I sin in that I humbled myself in order to exalt you: I preached the Gospel of God to you for free. He took from other churches, receiving support from them in order to serve you; and when I was with you, I suffered need, but did not burden anyone with myself: My lack was filled by the brothers who came from Macedonia. And I have observed myself in everything and will continue to do so without burden to you. According to the truth of Christ about me, I will say that this praise is not taken away from me throughout the Achai (Greek) region. From what? Is it because I don’t love you? God knows (that I love). But as it has been until now, I will continue to do so, so as not to give a reason to those who are looking for a reason (to blame me): let them, in whatever they boast about, turn out to be the same as we are 32. Such are the lying apostles, the deceitful workers; they take the form of Apostles of Christ. And no wonder: Satan himself transforms himself into an Angel of light, and therefore it is not a great thing when his servants take on the image of servants of righteousness. But their end will be according to their deeds. Justification of the Apostle in his life and works And I’ll also say: don’t anyone consider me unreasonable; if not so, then accept me at least as unreasonable, so that I too can boast a little. And what I say, I will say not according to the mind of the Lord, but as a foolish person would say, with such courage to praise. As many boast in the flesh, I too will boast. After all, you, reasonable people, willingly tolerate foolish people. Be patient when someone enslaves you, who eats you, who robs you, when someone hits you in the face, who lords it over you. To my shame, I admit that we were weak. But whatever anyone dares to boast about, I will say because of my foolishness, I also dare. Are they Jews? me too. Are they Abraham's seed? me too. Servants of Christ? In madness I will say: and me even more so. He was in labor more than they were, much more in wounds, more in prison, many times near death. At the hands of the Jews he suffered forty times five times without one blow. Three times he was beaten with whips (sticks), once he was stoned, three times he was in a shipwreck, he spent a night and a day in the depths (of the sea). Many times while traveling: there were troubles on the rivers, troubles from robbers, troubles from one’s own tribe, troubles from the pagans, dangers in cities, dangers in the desert, dangers in the sea, dangers in false brethren. In labor and exhaustion, he spent many sleepless nights, was often hungry and thirsty, often fasting, cold and naked. And not to mention many external matters, I have a daily situation, a daily burden of caring for all the churches. Who is fainting, and I am not fainting with him? Who is tempted, and I do not warm up with him? And if I boast, I will boast in my weakness. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is blessed forever! He knows that I am not lying. In Damascus, the ruler of the region, the ruler of King Aretas, surrounded the city of Damascus with guards to capture me, and I was lowered from a window along the wall in a basket and escaped from his hands. Chapter 12. Revelations and Visions We must boast! But it is not good for me to boast: I come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man about Christ: fourteen years ago - whether in the body or outside the body, I don’t know, God knows - he was caught up to the third heaven. And I know about that person - whether in the body or outside the body, I don’t know, God knows that he was caught up into paradise and heard ineffable verbs that no man can utter. I will boast about such people, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. If I want to boast, I will not be unreasonable: I will tell the truth; but I hold back so that no one thinks more about me than he sees in me or hears from me. And for many revelations, so that I would not be proud of them, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to torment me, so that I would not become proud. I prayed to the Lord for this three times, so that he would depart from me, but the Lord said to me: My grace is sufficient for you: My power is made perfect in weakness. So, I am glad to rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content in weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in oppressions for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong. I, boasting, reached the point of foolishness: you forced me. You should praise me, for I have nothing lacking against the highest Apostles, although I am nothing. The tokens of my apostleship appeared before you in all patience, in signs and wonders and in powers. And what do you lack compared to other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me for this guilt. Behold, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you, for I do not seek yours, but I seek you. It is not the children's responsibility to collect the property of their parents, but the parents' responsibility for the children. I will be glad to exhaust all that I have and to exhaust myself for your souls, even though, loving you immensely, I was loved less by you. Will you say that I did not burden you, but, being cunning, took you away with cunning? But have I benefited from anything from you through any of those sent to you? I begged Titus and sent one brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of anything from you? Didn't he and I live in the same spirit? And didn’t they walk the same paths? Don’t you still think that we are justifying ourselves to you? No, before the face of God and in Christ we say, and all for your confirmation: I’m afraid that when I come to you, I won’t find you as I don’t want you to be, and I won’t appear to you as you want; You would not find discord, envy, malice, quarrels, slander, slander, pride, or disorder among you. So that again, when I come, my God will not humble me with you, and I will not mourn for many who sinned before and did not repent of the uncleanness, fornication and lewdness that they did. Chapter 13. Farewell exhortation For the third time I come to you: in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established. I told you in advance and I will tell you again, since I was with you for the second time, and now, while I am absent, I am writing to those who have sinned before and to everyone else: when I come again, I will not have mercy. Christ speaks in me: or are you looking for evidence against Christ? Christ is not powerless in you: no, His power is at work in you. Although He was crucified in weakness, He lived by the power of God: and we are weak in His weakness, but we will live with Him by the power of God in you. Test yourselves, are you in the faith? Examine yourself. Or do you not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless you turn out to be what you should be (unless you stand the test). But, I hope, you will learn about us that we will not be in short supply. We pray to God that you do no evil, and not so that we may prove to be firm when tested, but that you do good, even though we may be unsteady, and we are not strong against the truth, but strong for the truth. We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong: this is what we pray for, for your perfection. This is why I am writing this in my absence, so that when I come, I will not act strictly according to the authority given to me from the Lord to create, and not to destroy. However, brethren, rejoice, be perfected, be comforted, be of the same wisdom, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Kiss each other with a holy kiss. All the saints kiss you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. The meaning of these verses 13-14, in connection with v. 9 and subsequent ones, it may be this: “They say that I was only strict from afar and therefore now I am intensifying my strict speech. But why strengthen it? If I myself had not come to you, this would still be understandable. But I visit you and you know me enough - after all, I brought you the gospel of Christ.” It can be understood this way: let them appear in the true light as they are, just as we are. You might be interested in: