¶The .xiij. Chapter.
1 He threatneth the obstinate, 5 And declareth what his power is by their owne testimonie. 10 Also he sheweth what is the effect of this Epistle. 11 After, hauyng exhorted them to their duetie, he wissheth them all prosperitie.
[unspec A] 1 NOwe come I the third time vnto you. * 1.1 In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery worde be stablisshed.
2 I tolde you before, and tell you before, as though I had ben present with you the seconde tyme, so write I nowe beyng absent, to them which in time past haue sinned, and to all other, that yf I come agayne, I wyll not spare,
3 Seyng yt ye seeke experience of Christe * 1.2 which speaketh in me, which to you ward is not weake, but is mighty in you.
4 For though he was crucified of weake∣nesse, yet liueth he of the power of God. And we no doubt, are weake in hym: but we shall lyue with hym, by ye might [unspec B] of God towarde you.
5 * 1.3Examine your selues, whether ye are in the fayth: Proue your owne selues. Knowe ye not your owne selues, howe that Iesus Christe is in you? except ye be reprobates.
6 I trust ye shal knowe that we are not reprobates.
7 Truely I pray to God that ye do none euyll, not that we shoulde seeme appro∣ued: but yt ye shoulde do that which is [unspec C] honest, though we be as (a) 1.4 reprobates.
8 For we can do nothyng agaynst the trueth: but for the trueth.
9 For we are glad when we are weake, and ye are strong. Truely this also we wishe, euen your perfection.
10 Therfore write I these thynges be∣yng absent, lest when I am present, I should vse sharpenesse, accordyng to the power * 1.5 which the Lorde hath geuen me to edification, and not to destruction.
11 Finally brethren, fare well, be perfect,