2 Corinthians 13
BSASBPaul closes his letter by warning the Corinthians that he is coming a third time and will not go easy on unrepentant sin. He calls them to test themselves, not him, to see whether Christ is truly in them. He ends with a call to restoration, joy and peace, and with a blessing that names Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 13:1
Paul announces his third visit. He cites the Old Testament rule that a charge stands only on two or three witnesses. His coming, together with his earlier visit and this letter, serves as a fair and open hearing of the matter.
BSA: witnesses (“those who have seen or experienced”): A witness speaks from firsthand knowledge, so the matter will be settled by what is truly known, not by rumor.
See also: Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16.
2 Corinthians 13:2
Paul had already warned those living in sin during his second visit. Now he repeats the warning from a distance. He tells them plainly that when he returns he will not let sin pass. His patience has a limit, and he wants them to hear that before he arrives.
BSA: spare (“show no leniency, treat severely”): Paul has held back until now, but he says he will not keep holding back if people stay unrepentant.
2 Corinthians 13:3
Some Corinthians wanted proof that Christ really spoke through Paul. They will get it. Christ is not weak toward them, and his power will be seen among them when Paul deals with the sin. Paul is not boasting, because the power belongs to Christ.
BSA: proof (“a test, a trial”): The Corinthians were putting Paul to the test, when it was they who needed to be tested.
2 Corinthians 13:4
Christ’s cross looked like weakness, yet God raised him in power. Paul’s life follows the same pattern. He looks weak among them, but God’s power works through him and will bring him to life with Christ, for their good. Weakness is not the end of the story.
BSA: weakness (“infirmity, frailty”): Christ truly took on human frailty at the cross, and Paul shares in that same pattern.
Greek: ἐσταυρώθη (estaurōthē, G4717) — “he was crucified.” The verb points to a single, completed event, the cross. The contrast is that his death was in weakness but his life now is in power.
See also: Philippians 2:8-9; Romans 6:8.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Paul turns the test around. Instead of testing him, they should look at themselves. Is the faith real, and is Christ living in them? This is not meant to produce despair but honest self-examination. The sign of a true believer is Christ’s presence within.
BSA: Examine (“test, prove”): The word is used for testing metal to see if it is genuine, so the self-check is meant to be thorough and honest. fail the test (“are rejected, disapproved”): The danger is being found counterfeit, not simply falling short of perfection.
Greek: ἀδόκιμοί (adokimoi, G96) — “failed, disqualified, not approved.” It describes something tested and found not genuine, like a coin that does not pass inspection.
See also: 1 Corinthians 11:28; Romans 8:10.
2 Corinthians 13:6
Paul hopes that when they test themselves honestly, they will also see that he has passed the test. They came to faith through his ministry, so their own faith is evidence that his work was real.
BSA: hope (“to hope with confidence”): Paul’s hope is not wishful thinking but a settled expectation.
2 Corinthians 13:7
Paul’s prayer is not for his own image. He would rather they do right, even if that makes him look like a failure, than have them behave badly so that he can prove his authority. What he cares about is their goodness.
BSA: appear (“seem, be regarded”): Paul separates how he appears from what is actually true, and says he is not concerned about looking approved.
2 Corinthians 13:8
Paul has no power to work against the truth, only for it. Whatever authority he uses must serve the gospel and the good of the church. He cannot excuse sin or bend the message to suit anyone.
BSA: truth (“God’s true message, Christian doctrine”): The truth here is the gospel itself, which limits what an apostle may do.
2 Corinthians 13:9
Paul is glad to be weak if it means they are strong. His pride is not in his own strength but in their growth. He prays that they be fully restored, mended and brought to maturity.
BSA: perfection (“complete, mature, having God’s nature”): Paul prays for them to become whole and mature, not for flawless performance.
Greek: κατάρτισιν (katartisin, G2676) — “restoring, putting in order, mending.” The related verb is used for mending fishing nets, so Paul is praying for the church to be put back in working order.
See also: Matthew 4:21.
2 Corinthians 13:10
This is why Paul writes before he comes. He would rather correct them by letter than deal harshly in person. The Lord gave him authority to build up, and that remains his aim, even when correction is needed.
BSA: building you up (“edifying, constructing spiritually”): Apostolic authority is like a builder’s tools, meant to construct a healthy church, not to demolish it.
See also: 2 Corinthians 10:8.
2 Corinthians 13:11
Paul closes with a handful of short commands: rejoice, be put right, take encouragement, agree with one another, live in peace. These describe a healthy church. The promise attached is that the God of love and peace will be with them.
BSA: perfect (“complete, mature”): This is the same idea as verse 9: being mended and brought to completeness together.
Greek: καταρτίζεσθε (katartizesthe, G2675) — “be restored, be put in order.” It is the same word family as in verse 9. Paul asks them to join in the repair work he prays for.
See also: Romans 15:5; Philippians 2:2.
2 Corinthians 13:12-13
A holy kiss was a normal greeting of that culture, and Paul uses it as a sign of real affection between believers. Churches elsewhere send their greetings too, a reminder that the Corinthians belong to a larger family of God’s people.
BSA: saints (“holy ones, set apart for God”): Believers are called saints because they belong to God, not because they are perfect.
See also: Romans 16:16.
2 Corinthians 13:14
The letter ends with a blessing that names Father, Son and Holy Spirit together. It asks that the Corinthians know the Lord’s undeserved favor, God’s love, and a shared life in the Spirit. It is for all of them, even those who have been difficult.
BSA: fellowship (“participation, partnership”): The Spirit gives believers a real shared life together, not just friendly feelings.
See also: Philippians 2:1.