Final Warnings and Greetings
1 I am on my way to visit you for the third time. And as the Scriptures say, “Any charges must be proved true by at least two or three witnesses.” 2 During my second visit I warned you that I would punish you and anyone else who doesn't stop sinning. I am far away from you now, but I give you the same warning. 3 This should prove to you that I am speaking for Christ. When he corrects you, he won't be weak. He will be powerful! 4 Although he was weak when he was nailed to the cross, he now lives by the power of God. We are weak, just as Christ was. But you will see that we will live by the power of God, just as Christ does.
5 Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith. If you pass the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you. But if Christ isn't living in you, you have failed. 6 I hope you will discover we have not failed. 7 We pray you will stop doing evil things. We don't pray like this to make ourselves look good, but to get you to do right, even if we are failures.
8 All we can do is to follow the truth and not fight against it. 9 Even though we are weak, we are glad that you are strong, and we pray you will do even better. 10 I am writing these things to you before I arrive. This way I won't have to be hard on you when I use the authority the Lord has given me. I was given this authority, so I could help you and not destroy you.
11 Goodbye, my friends. Do better and pay attention to what I have said. Try to get along and live peacefully with each other.
Now I pray that God, who gives love and peace, will be with you. 12 Give each other a warm greeting. All God's people send their greetings.
13 I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and be kind to you! May God bless you with his love, and may the Holy Spirit join all your hearts together.
1 والآنَ أنا قادِمٌ إلَيكُم مرّةً ثالِثَةً. والكِتابُ يَقولُ: «لا حُكمَ في أيّةِ قَضِيّةٍ إلاّ بِشَهادَةِ شاهِدَينِ أو ثلاثةٍ». 2 عِندَ حُضوري في المَرّةِ الثّانِـيَةِ قُلتُ للذينَ خَطِئوا فيما مَضى ولِسواهُم ما أقولُهُ اليومَ وأنا غائِبٌ: إنْ عُدتُ إلَيكُم فلا أُشفِقُ على أحدٍ، 3 ما دُمتُم تَطلُبونَ بُرهانًا على أنّ المَسيحَ يَنطِقُ بلِساني. والمَسيحُ غَيرُ ضَعيفٍ في مُعامَلتِكُم، بَلْ قَوِيّ بَينَكُم. 4 ومعَ أنّهُ صُلِبَ بِضُعفِهِ، فهوَ الآنَ حَيّ بِقُدرَةِ اللهِ. ونَحنُ أيضًا ضُعفاءُ فيهِ، ولكنّنا في مُعامَلَتِنا لكُم سَنكونُ بِقُدرَةِ اللهِ أحياءَ معَهُ.
5 اَمتَحِنوا أنفُسَكُم وحاسِبوها هَلْ أنتُم مُتَمسّكونَ بإيمانِكُم. ألا تَعرِفونَ أنفُسَكُم وأنّ يَسوعَ المَسيحَ فيكُم؟ إلاّ إذا كُنتُم فاشِلينَ. 6 أمّا نَحنُ فنَرجو أنْ تَعلَموا أنّنا غيرُ فاشِلينَ. 7 ونُصَلّي إلى اللهِ أنْ لا تَعمَلوا شَرّا، لا لِـيظهَرَ أنّنا ناجِحونَ، بَلْ لِتَعمَلوا أنتُم ما هوَ خَيرٌ ولَو ظَهَرْنا نَحنُ بِمَظهَرِ الفاشِلينَ. 8 فنَحنُ لا نَقدِرُ على مُقاوَمَةِ الحقّ، بَلْ على خِدمَتِهِ. 9 وكَمْ نَفرَحُ عِندَما نكونُ نَحنُ ضُعفاءَ وأنتُم أقوياءَ، وما نُصَلّي لأجلِهِ هوَ أنْ تكونوا كامِلينَ. 10 أكتُبُ إلَيكُم وأنا غائِبٌ لِئَلاّ أُعامِلَكُم بِقَسوَةٍ وأنا حاضِرٌ، حسَبَ السّلطَةِ التي وهَبَها الرّبّ لي لِلبُنيانِ لا لِلهَدمِ.
11 والآنَ أيّها الإخوَةُ، اَفرَحوا واَسعُوا إلى الكَمالِ، وتشَجّعوا وكونوا على رَأْيٍ واحدٍ وعيشوا بِسلامٍ، وإلهُ المَحبّةِ والسّلامِ يكونُ مَعكُم.
12 سَلّموا بَعضُكُم على بَعضٍ بِقُبلَةٍ مُقَدّسَةٍ. يُسَلّمُ علَيكُم جميعُ الإخوَةِ القِدّيسينَ.
13 ولِتكُنْ نِعمَةُ رَبّنا يَسوعَ المَسيحِ ومَحبّةُ اللهِ وشَرِكَةُ الرّوحِ القُدُسِ مَعكم جميعًا.
