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Saturday, September 28th, 2024
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Corinthians 13:1

Well, this is my third visit coming up. Remember the Scripture that says, "A matter becomes clear after two or three witnesses give evidence"? On my second visit I warned that bunch that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways that when I came back I wouldn't go easy on them. Now, preparing for the third, I'm saying it again from a distance. If you haven't changed your ways by the time I get there, look out. You who have been demanding proof that Christ speaks through me will get more than you bargained for. You'll get the full force of Christ, don't think you won't. He was sheer weakness and humiliation when he was killed on the cross, but oh, he's alive now—in the mighty power of God! We weren't much to look at, either, when we were humiliated among you, but when we deal with you this next time, we'll be alive in Christ, strengthened by God.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Corinth;   Quotations and Allusions;   Witness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courts;   Witnesses;   The Topic Concordance - Witness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Courts of Justice;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Corinth;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Apostle;   Corinthians, letters to the;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Discipline;   Law;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Corinth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Timothy, the First Epistle to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament;   2 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronology of the New Testament;   Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Corinthians, Second Epistle to;   Paul the Apostle;   Word;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Numbers as Symbols;   Witness;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Corinth;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Witness;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Corinth;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Corinthians, Second Epistle to the;   Judge;   Witness;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for April 4;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.
Legacy Standard Bible
This is the third time I am coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter shall be confirmed.
Simplified Cowboy Version
This will be my third time coming to see y'all. Don't forget, if someone has a complaint about someone else, there's got to be at least two or three other cowboys who can testify to the truth of it.
Bible in Basic English
This is the third time that I am coming to you. From the mouth of two or three witnesses will every word be made certain.
Darby Translation
This third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established.
Christian Standard Bible®
This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
World English Bible
This is the third time I am coming to you. "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word established."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I am coming to you this third time: every word shall be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses.
Weymouth's New Testament
This intended visit of mine is my third visit to you. "On the evidence of two or three witnesses every charge shall be sustained."
King James Version (1611)
This is the third time I am comming to you: in the mouth of two or three witnesses shal euery word be established.
Literal Translation
I am coming to you this third time . "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter shall be established." Deut. 19:15
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now come I the thirde tyme vnto you. In the mouth of two or thre witnesses shal euery matter be stablisshed.
Mace New Testament (1729)
This is the third time I am coming to you: "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
Amplified Bible
This is the third time that I am visiting you. EVERY FACT SHALL BE SUSTAINED and CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.
American Standard Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established.
Revised Standard Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Now come I the thyrd tyme vnto you In the mouth of two or thre witnesses shall every thinge stonde.
Update Bible Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established.
Webster's Bible Translation
This [is] the third [time] I am coming to you: By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Young's Literal Translation
This third time do I come unto you; on the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every saying be established;
New Century Version
I will come to you for the third time. "Every case must be proved by two or three witnesses."
New English Translation
This is the third time I am coming to visit you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter will be established .
Berean Standard Bible
This is the third time I am coming to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
Contemporary English Version
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."
Complete Jewish Bible
This will be the third time that I have come to visit you. Any charge must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
English Standard Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Lo this is the thirde time that I come vnto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery worde stand
George Lamsa Translation
THIS is the third time I am ready to come to you, for by the mouth of two or three witnesses every charge is sustained.
Hebrew Names Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word established."
International Standard Version
This will be the third time I am coming to you. "Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses."Deuteronomy 19:15">[fn]Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; Matthew 18:16; John 8:17; 2 Corinthians 12:14; Hebrews 10:28;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
This is the third time that I prepare to come to you; and in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Murdock Translation
This is the third time that I have prepare to come to you; that, by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.
New King James Version
This will be the third time I am coming to you. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." Deuteronomy 19:15">[fn]
New Living Translation
This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, "The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses").
New Life Bible
This is my third visit to you. The Holy Writings tell us that when people think someone has done wrong, it must be proven by two or three people who saw the wrong being done.
English Revised Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established.
New Revised Standard
This is the third time I am coming to you. "Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This third time, am I coming unto you: - at the mouth of two witnesses, or three, shall every matter be established.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold, this is the third time I am coming to you: In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand.
King James Version
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Lexham English Bible
This is the third time I am coming to you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every word will be established.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe come I the third time vnto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery worde be stablisshed.
Easy-to-Read Version
This will be my third time to visit you. And remember, "For every complaint there must be two or three people to say that they know it is true."
New American Standard Bible
This is the third time that I am coming to you. ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER SHALL BE CONFIRMED.
Good News Translation
This is now the third time that I am coming to visit you. "Any accusation must be upheld by the evidence of two or more witnesses"—as the scripture says.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! this thridde tyme Y come to you, and in the mouth of tweyne or of thre witnessis euery word schal stonde.

Contextual Overview

1Well, this is my third visit coming up. Remember the Scripture that says, "A matter becomes clear after two or three witnesses give evidence"? On my second visit I warned that bunch that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways that when I came back I wouldn't go easy on them. Now, preparing for the third, I'm saying it again from a distance. If you haven't changed your ways by the time I get there, look out. You who have been demanding proof that Christ speaks through me will get more than you bargained for. You'll get the full force of Christ, don't think you won't. He was sheer weakness and humiliation when he was killed on the cross, but oh, he's alive now—in the mighty power of God! We weren't much to look at, either, when we were humiliated among you, but when we deal with you this next time, we'll be alive in Christ, strengthened by God. 5Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won't show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we'd rather the test showed our failure than yours. We're rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn't possibly do otherwise. We don't just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the third: 2 Corinthians 12:14

In: Numbers 35:30, Deuteronomy 17:6, Deuteronomy 19:15, 1 Kings 21:10, 1 Kings 21:13, Matthew 18:16, Matthew 26:60, Matthew 26:61, John 8:17, John 8:18, Hebrews 10:28, Hebrews 10:29

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:32 - doubled 1 Kings 1:14 - I also Isaiah 8:2 - I took Jeremiah 1:13 - the second time Matthew 17:1 - Peter Mark 5:37 - save Mark 9:2 - Peter Luke 9:28 - he Acts 5:32 - are Acts 10:16 - thrice 1 Corinthians 4:19 - not 2 Corinthians 2:3 - lest Galatians 1:9 - so Philippians 4:4 - again 1 Timothy 5:19 - two Revelation 11:3 - two

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham traveled from there south to the Negev and settled down between Kadesh and Shur. While he was camping in Gerar, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She's my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream that night and told him, "You're as good as dead—that woman you took, she's a married woman." Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man? Didn't he tell me, ‘She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, ‘He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this." God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your intentions were pure, that's why I kept you from sinning against me; I was the one who kept you from going to bed with her. So now give the man's wife back to him. He's a prophet and will pray for you—pray for your life. If you don't give her back, know that it's certain death both for you and everyone in your family." Abimelech was up first thing in the morning. He called all his house servants together and told them the whole story. They were shocked. Then Abimelech called in Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What have I ever done to you that you would bring on me and my kingdom this huge offense? What you've done to me ought never to have been done." Abimelech went on to Abraham, "Whatever were you thinking of when you did this thing?" Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife. Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'" Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish." And to Sarah he said, "I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver—that clears you of even a shadow of suspicion before the eyes of the world. You're vindicated." Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants, and they started having babies again. For God had shut down every womb in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Genesis 21:33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped God there, praying to the Eternal God. Abraham lived in Philistine country for a long time.
Joshua 10:40
Joshua took the whole country: hills, desert, foothills, and mountain slopes, including all kings. He left no survivors. He carried out the holy curse on everything that breathed, just as God , the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua's conquest stretched from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the entire region of Goshen to Gibeon. Joshua took all these kings and their lands in a single campaign because God , the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
1 Samuel 27:10
Achish would ask, "And whom did you raid today?" David would tell him, "Oh, the Negev of Judah," or "The Negev of Jerahmeel," or "The Negev of the Kenites." He never left a single person alive lest one show up in Gath and report what David had really been doing. This is the way David operated all the time he lived in Philistine country.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This is the third time I am coming to you,.... Or "am ready to come to you", as the Alexandrian copy reads, as in 2 Corinthians 12:14. Though he had been as yet but once at Corinth, and is to be reckoned and accounted for, either after this manner; he had been "once" with them when he first preached the Gospel to them, and was the means of their conversion, and laid, the foundation of their church state, of which there is some account in Acts 18:1 he came to them a "second" time, by writing his first epistle, when he desired to be considered by them, as though he was present with them, 1 Corinthians 5:3 and now a "third" time by this second epistle, in which he also speaks as if he was among them, see the following verse; or else in this way, he had been actually in person with them one time, and had been about to come in purpose and preparation a "second" time, but was prevented, and now was just ready a "third" time to set forward in his journey to them; see 2 Corinthians 12:14 and so the Syriac version reads it here, "this is the third time that I am ready to come to you", and which our version also favours. The Alexandrian copy and some others, the Complutension edition, the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, read, "behold, this third time", c. in order to raise and fix their attention to what he was saying, or about to say:

in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established referring to Deuteronomy 19:15 which he applies much in the same manner Christ does in Matthew 18:16 and which it is probable he had in view; signifying hereby, that he proceeded in a judicial way, according to due form of law, and in such a manner as Christ had directed; and that they were to look upon his several comings in the sense now explained, to be as so many witnesses, whereby the several charges exhibited against them were fully attested and confirmed, so that things were now ripe for judgment, and for a final sentence to pass upon them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This is the third time ... - see the note on 2 Corinthians 12:14. For an interesting view of this passage, see Paley’s Horae Paulinae on this Epistle, No. 11: It is evident that Paul had been to Corinth but once before this, but he had resolved to go before a second time, but had been disappointed.

In the mouth of two or three witnesses ... - This was what the Law of Moses required; Deuteronomy 20:16; see the note on John 8:17; compare Matthew 18:16. But in regard to its application here, commentators are not agreed. Some suppose that Paul refers to his own epistles which he had sent to them as the two or three witnesses by which his promise to them would be made certain; that he had purposed it and promised it two or three times, and that as this was all that was required by the Law, it would certainly be established. This is the opinion of Bloomfield, Rosenmuller, Grotius, Hammond, Locke, and some others. But, with all the respect due to such great names, it seems to me that this would be trifling and childish in the extreme. Lightfoot supposes that he refers to Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who would be witnesses to them of his purpose; see 1 Corinthians 16:17. But the more probable opinion, it seems to me, is that of Doddridge, Macknight, and others, that he anticipated that there wound be necessity for the administration of discipline there, but that he would feel himself under obligation in administering it to adhere to the reasonable maxim of the Jewish Law. No one should be condemned or punished where there was not at least two or three witnesses to prove the offence. But where there were, discipline would be administered according to the nature of the crime.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIII.

The apostle again says that this is the third time he has

purposed to come and see them; and threatens that he will, by

the power of Christ, punish every incorrigible sinner, 1-4.

Exhorts them to examine themselves, whether they be in the

faith, 5, 6.

Prays that they may do no evil, 7.

And shows how ardently he wished their complete restoration to

unity and purity, 8, 9.

Tells them for what reason he writes to them, 10.

Bids them farewell, 11,

Gives them some directions, and concludes with his apostolical

benediction, 12-14.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII.

Verse 2 Corinthians 13:1. This is the third time I am coming to you. — These words are nearly the same with those 2 Corinthians 12:14; and probably refer to the purpose which he had twice before formed of seeing them. But the latter clause seems to attach a different meaning to the passage; at least so it has been understood by some learned men.

Schoettgen thus interprets the whole: the first coming of the apostle to Corinth was when he personally visited them, and there founded the Christian Church. By his second coming we are to understand his first epistle to them; and, by his being now ready to come to them the third time, we are to understand this second epistle, which he was then going to send them. These were the two witnesses, and the apostle the third, which he gave to the Corinthians concerning the truth of his own ministry, or the falsity of the ministry of the pretended apostle.

Calmet contends that the apostle had been twice before at Corinth, and that he now purposed to go a third time; and that these visits were the two or three witnesses to which the apostle appeals.

Dr. Lightfoot thinks that the two or three witnesses were Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, sent to assure them of his coming. But this opinion cannot be supported.

With respect to the two or three witnesses establishing the subject, Dr. Whitby says. "Though these words seem to be cited from Deuteronomy 19:15, rather than from Matthew 18:16, it being rare to find this apostle citing any thing from the New Testament, without calling it an ordinance of the Lord, yet it is probable that he here alludes to the practice there prescribed for the reclaiming of offenders. And then his first epistle being written with this introduction: Paul an apostle, and Sosthenes; his second thus: Paul and Timotheus; may pass for two or three witnesses; and his presence the third time in person, to exercise his censures on those offenders, before the body of the Church, may bear a fair resemblance to our Lord's prescription in the above case: If thy brother offend," &c.-So far Whitby. Matthew 18:16.


 
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