2 Corinthians
Chapter 13
Final Exhortations
This will be my third visit to you, ‘On the testimony of two or three witnesses any charge must be established.’
I have said before and I repeat now, while still far away, just as I did on my second visit: I say to you who have lived in sin, as well as to everyone else, that when I return, I will not be lenient,
since you want to know if Christ is speaking through me. He is not used to dealing with you weakly; instead, he acts with power.
If he was crucified in his weakness, now he lives through the strength of God; and so we are weak with him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.
Examine yourselves: are you living by faith? Test yourselves. Can you genuinely say that Christ Jesus is in you? If not, you have failed the test.
I hope you understand that we ourselves have not failed it.
We pray to God that you do no wrong. Our desire is not for recognition, but for you to do what is right, even if it appears we have failed in this.
We have no power against the truth—only for it.
We rejoice if we are weak while you are strong, because our hope is that you become complete.
This is why I am writing now—to make sure that when I come, I won’t have to act harshly or use the authority the Lord has given me, which is for building up, not tearing down.
Final Greetings
Finally, brothers and sisters, be joyful, aim to be perfect, have courage, be united in mind, and live peacefully. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet each other with a holy kiss. All the saints send their greetings to you.
May the grace of Christ Jesus the Lord, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Commentaries
Final Exhortations.
The Corinthians recognize the power of Christ, likely through the signs and wonders performed in His name. In Paul, they see only weakness. The Apostle will need to demonstrate the power of authority he has received, which operates through his apparent weakness. He is willing to bring them to judgment. However, first he offers them a chance to avoid this by examining their consciences and demonstrating their repentance. In this way, they will serve as their own judges. The standard for this self-examination should be the active, felt presence of Christ in their lives (cf. Rom 2:15-16). He ends by reaffirming his mission: to build up, not tear down (cf. 10:8).
Final Greetings.
For Paul, ‘joy’ always carries a Christian meaning, connected to life in Christ, which is then reflected in community unity, peace, and harmony. The circumstances the Corinthians were experiencing make this greeting more than just a typical farewell phrase. The Apostle’s final words include one of the clearest Trinitarian formulas in the entire New Testament, which has become part of the Eucharistic liturgy as a greeting: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (13).