2 Corinthians 13

This is the final chapter of 2 Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul announced that he was preparing for a third visit and expressed concern about sin within the church. This chapter continues that discussion, issues a final warning, and concludes the letter with closing greetings.

Outline

• Verses 1–4: Paul announces that he is coming a third time and states that every matter will be established "in the mouth of two or three witnesses." He warns in advance that when he comes again he will not spare those who sinned earlier. Christ was crucified through weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. Paul says that he, too, is weak in Him but will live with Him by the power of God.
• Verses 5–10: Paul tells the believers to examine and prove themselves to see whether they are in the faith. He prays that they will do no evil, that they will do what is good, and that they will be made complete. He also explains why he writes in this way while absent: so that he will not have to deal sharply with them when he is present. The authority the Lord gave him, he says, was given for building up, not for tearing down.
• Verses 11–13: Paul urges them to rejoice, to be made complete, and to be of one mind. He tells them to greet one another with a holy kiss and conveys the greetings of all the saints. Finally, he pronounces a blessing in the name of the triune God.

Key Verses

• 2 Corinthians 13:5: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." This verse is frequently cited as an exhortation for believers to examine themselves.
• 2 Corinthians 13:13 (13:14 in many English Bibles): "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all." This verse is used in churches as the text of the benediction.

People and Places

• Paul: The apostle who wrote the letter. In this chapter he speaks in the first person.
• Corinth: The Greek port city where the church that received the letter was located.

Points for Reflection

• The third visit: 2 Corinthians 2:1 reads, "I would not come again to you in heaviness." On this basis, many interpreters conclude that there was a second visit not recorded in Acts. The reference to being present "the second time" in verse 2 is also read as referring to this visit.
• Two or three witnesses: Verse 1 recalls the rule concerning witnesses in Deuteronomy 19:15. The verse is also cited as a basis for exercising church discipline fairly.
• Weakness and power: Verse 4 connects with the confession in 2 Corinthians 12:7–10: "for when I am weak, then am I strong."
• Self-examination (verse 5): Some traditions read this verse as a call to examine one's assurance of salvation. Others place greater weight on it as an exhortation to reflect on the actual life of the community.
• Structure of the letter: Some scholars connect chapters 10–13 with the so-called "tearful letter" mentioned in 2:4 and regard them as originally a separate letter. Others hold that 2 Corinthians is a single letter.
• Verse division: The Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version divide this chapter into 13 verses. Many English Bibles split verse 12 into two, yielding 14 verses, so the benediction appears as verse 14.
• The Trinity: Verse 13 names the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit together in a single sentence. For this reason it is often cited as a New Testament text expressing belief in the Trinity.

In the Korean Church

In Korean churches, verse 13 is widely used as the text of the benediction pronounced by the pastor at the close of worship. In many denominations the benediction is reserved for an ordained pastor, and gatherings without a pastor commonly close with the Lord's Prayer. The concluding wording of the benediction varies by church and denomination, with forms such as issŭlchiŏda ("shall be with you") and itkirŭl ch'ugwŏnhaomnaida ("I pray that it may be with you").