2 Corinthians 13:3

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but powerful among you.

King James Version (1611)
Since ye seeke a proofe of Christ, speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weake, but is mightie in you.

King James Version
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

English Standard Version
since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

New American Standard Bible
since you are seeking proof of the Christ who speaks in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

New Century Version
You want proof that Christ is speaking through me. My proof is that he is not weak among you, but he is powerful.

Amplified Bible
since you seek [forensic] proof that Christ is speaking in and through me. He is not weak or ineffective in dealing with you, but powerful within you.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

Legacy Standard Bible
since you are seeking proof that Christ speaks in me; He is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

Berean Standard Bible
since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

Contemporary English Version
This should prove to you that I am speaking for Christ. When he corrects you, he won't be weak. He will be powerful!

Complete Jewish Bible
since you are looking for proof of the Messiah speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but he is powerful among you.

Darby Translation
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, (who is not weak towards you, but is powerful among you,

Easy-to-Read Version
You want proof that Christ is speaking through me. My proof is that he is not weak in dealing with you but is showing his power among you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Seeing that ye seeke experience of Christ, that speaketh in mee, which towarde you is not weake, but is mightie in you.

George Lamsa Translation
Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, he has never been weak among you, but is mighty in you.

Good News Translation
You will have all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. When he deals with you, he is not weak; instead, he shows his power among you.

Lexham English Bible
since you are demanding proof that Christ, who is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me.

Literal Translation
since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but is powerful in you,

American Standard Version
seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you:

Bible in Basic English
Seeing that you are looking for a sign of Christ giving out his word in me; who is not feeble in relation to you, but is strong in you:

Hebrew Names Version
seeing that you seek a proof of Messiah that speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

International Standard Version
since you want proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you but is making his power felt among you.Matthew 10:20; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 9:2; 2 Corinthians 2:10;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Inasmuch as you demand the proof of the Meshiha who speaketh in me, (of) Him who is not weak among you, but is mighty among you:

Murdock Translation
because ye demand proof, that it is the Messiah that speaketh by me, who hath not been powerless among you, but powerful among you.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Seyng yt ye seeke experience of Christe which speaketh in me, which to you ward is not weake, but is mighty in you.

English Revised Version
seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you–ward is not weak, but is powerful in you:

World English Bible
seeing that you seek a proof of Christ that speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but powerful among you.

Weymouth's New Testament
since you want a practical proof of the fact that Christ speaks by my lips--He who is not feeble towards you, but powerful among you.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whether ye seken the preef of that Crist, that spekith in me, which is not feble in you?

Update Bible Version
seeing that you seek a proof of Christ that speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you:

Webster's Bible Translation
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who toward you is not weak, but is mighty in you.

New English Translation
since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you.

New King James Version
since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

New Living Translation
I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you.

New Life Bible
Since you want to know, I will prove to you that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when He works in your hearts. He uses His power in you.

New Revised Standard
since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Since, a test, ye are seeking, of the speaking in me of Christ; - who, unto you, is not weak, but is powerful in you, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Do you seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me, who towards you is not weak, but is mighty in you?

Revised Standard Version
since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
seynge yt ye seke experience of Christ which speaketh in me which amoge you is not weake but is myghty in you.

Young's Literal Translation
since a proof ye seek of the Christ speaking in me, who to you is not infirm, but is powerful in you,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
seynge that ye seke experiece of him, which speaketh in me, euen Christ, which amonge you is not weake, but is mightie amoge you.

Mace New Testament (1729)
since you demand a proof of my mission from Christ, who with regard to you has shown no want of power among you.

Simplified Cowboy Version
If you need proof that Jesus speaks through me, you'll get it when he deals with you when I arrive. You'll sure enough see his power then.

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

ye seek: 2 Corinthians 10:8-10

Christ: 2 Corinthians 2:10, Matthew 10:20, Matthew 18:18-20, Luke 21:15, 1 Corinthians 5:4, 1 Corinthians 5:5

which: 2 Corinthians 2:6, 2 Corinthians 3:1-3, 2 Corinthians 12:12, 1 Corinthians 9:1-3

Reciprocal: Joshua 3:10 - Hereby ye Habakkuk 2:1 - unto me 1 Corinthians 4:10 - we are weak 1 Corinthians 9:3 - them 2 Corinthians 10:1 - bold 2 Corinthians 10:4 - mighty 2 Corinthians 10:7 - even 2 Corinthians 10:11 - such 2 Corinthians 13:6 - General Galatians 2:20 - but Galatians 3:5 - worketh Colossians 1:29 - mightily

Cross-References

Genesis 13:8
Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me,.... This is the reason why he was determined, that should he come among them, he would not spare them, because they called in question his apostleship, and demanded a proof of it; which, of all men, they had the least reason to do; for they themselves were the seals of his apostleship, and the signs of an apostle had been done among them; they queried whether he was an ambassador of Christ, and was sent by him, and in his name; whether the message he came with was from him, and whether the Gospel he preached was his voice; and particularly whether he had such a power to punish delinquents, as he threatened them with the exercise of; a strange infatuation of the false apostles this, since Christ, who sent him, was with him, and spoke in him, and by him:

which to you-ward, says he,

is not weak, but is mighty in you; the Gospel of Christ, at the first preaching of it to them by him, was the power of God unto salvation to them; and was attended with divers signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost; and besides, they had instances of the power of Christ towards them in an awful way, in punishing sinners; as in the delivery of the incestuous person to Satan, which was done by his Spirit being with them when assembled; and by smiting many of them with sickness, diseases, and infirmities, and with death itself, who had sinned, 1 Corinthians 5:4. Wherefore, seeing after all these instances of the voice and power of Christ in him, they yet questioned his apostolical authority, and sought proof of it; and especially since this was not so much a tempting of him, as a tempting of Christ in him, he was resolved not to spare them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me - see the notes on the previous chapters. They had called in question his apostolic authority; they had demanded the evidence of his divine commission. He says that he would now furnish such evidence by inflicting just punishment on all offenders, and they should have abundant proof that Christ spoke by him, or that he was inspired.

Which to you-ward is not weak - Or who, that is, Christ, is not weak, etc. Christ has manifested his power abundantly toward you, that is, either by the miracles that had been performed in his name; or by the diseases and calamities which they had suffered on account of their disorders and offences (see the note on 1 Corinthians 11:30); or by the force and efficacy of his doctrine. The connection, it seems to me, requires that we should understand it of the calamities which had been inflicted by Christ on them for their sins, and which Paul says would be inflicted again if they did not repent. The idea is, that they had had ample demonstration of the power of Christ to inflict punishment, and they had reason to apprehend it again.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 13:3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ — The conversion of the Corinthians was to themselves a solid proof that Christ spoke by the apostle; and therefore he could, with great propriety, say that this power of Christ, far from being weak, was mighty among them.