Chapter XIII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) This is the third time I am coming to you. As it is written: 'By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.' This is the second time I am coming to you. In accordance with the law, a matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. So when I come again, I will not be lenient with those who sinned earlier or any of the others.
(Vers. 2.)
(Version 2.) For I have foretold and I foretell, as being present the second coming, and being absent now I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare. He indicates that he has already said this in person, in order to correct them so they would not be rebuked with shame. And now he testifies that he says the same things again while absent, so that after the second rebuke, if they have not corrected themselves, he should not spare them.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) How do you seek proof of Him who speaks in me, Christ? They seek proof of Christ speaking in the Apostle, while they do not obey His commandments, desiring to test if He dares to be avenged; so that through this it is understood to be an authority of faith, so that it is feared in the future. For he who despises the master seeks to be corrected. He who is not weak among you, but is mighty in you. Christ is mighty in these things; for they have seen in His name the dead raised, demons driven away, the paralyzed healed, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the lame walk, the blind see. All of these are virtues, not weaknesses: in fact, they are the reason why people are drawn to faith.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) For although he was crucified from our weakness, he lives by the power of God. It is true because Christ was crucified for our sins, in order to destroy death, and to free those who believe in him from it. Therefore, he allowed himself to be weakened for our sake, in order to conquer death for us. For he descended into Hell, who had no knowledge of sin at all, and was killed as if a sinner, and he destroyed the handwriting of Adam. So that from then on, those who have died in his name would not be held captive by death, but would have the confidence to go to heaven. Because of our weakness, he who is killed by our efforts is revived by the power of the Father; in order to prove to the disciples that what he taught was true, by demonstrating it in himself. Indeed, we are weakened in him. This pertains to the person of the apostles, who, while preaching him, that is, Christ, were weakened; while they were being mistreated, imprisoned, and beaten. But we live with him by the power of God towards you. It is clear that if they were weakened by the faithless among believers: this was not weakness, but progress; because believers become stronger from this, while they are weakened. Therefore, death is brought by the wicked, but life is towards the believers; for by the power of God they will rise again, to live with Christ.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) Test yourselves to see if you are in faith: prove yourselves. He instructs that brothers should examine themselves to discuss with one another; they become more concerned if they compare themselves with each other. Therefore, he wanted this temptation to be understood as a test; because every test is a temptation, but not every temptation is a test. For if God is said to test, it is a test; but if the devil is said to test, it is a temptation, because he seeks to overthrow. And a person sometimes tries in order to test; sometimes, in order to capture. Do you not know that Christ Jesus is in you, unless you are reprobate? This is what he says, that if you do not know how to test yourselves, you do not know that Jesus Christ is in you, and this is to be reprobate, to not know the truth of one's own faith. For whoever has the sense of their faith in their heart, they know that Christ Jesus is in them.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) But I hope that you will come to know that we are not reprobate. It provokes them to knowledge of faith, and to a righteous life. For when the apostles themselves begin to know their certain authority and merit before God, they will be able to be concerned about themselves as well.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) But I pray to God, that you do not do anything evil: not so that we may appear approved, but so that you may do what is good; while we, as if disqualified. With the same affection with which he always prays for them, that they may refrain from evil. Not so that we, he says, may appear approved, that is, not so that we may be seen as having authority, while you are sinning. But so that you may do what is good; while we, as if disqualified. What is this? Does the Apostle pray to be a reprobate? Certainly not: but he prays that those who are doing well, while they did not dare to correct, may be humbled, and may appear humbled or reprobate. For they seem to be approved by God, while they judge sinners by the authority granted to them. Therefore, if those whom they judge are not, when the authority ceases in them, they seem as reprobates.
(Vers. 8.)
(Vers. 8.) For we cannot do anything against the truth, but for the truth. He says this because power is not given against the truth, in order to accuse those who live well, but for the truth, in order to vindicate against him who is an enemy of the law. Therefore, power will cease if they do something good. Hence, he also says to the Romans: Do you want to not fear power? Do good, and you will have praise from it (Rom. XIII, 3). So when one does not fear by doing good, power is eliminated in him. This is like being rejected; because that ceases in him, from which power is proven.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) For we rejoice when we are weak, but you are strong. This is to be weak, not to exercise power: but these desire to be strong; so that, while doing good, they may overcome vices and refrain from seeking vengeance or correction from themselves. This we pray for and your perfection. Praying, we beseech that they may be perfected in it, neither sinning while perfected in the virtue of a good life, and in incorruptible faith.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) Therefore, I write these things while absent, so that I may not have to be harsh when present. It is clear that I admonish them while absent, so that I may find them more correct and not have to rebuke them with shame when I am present; so that the one who is sinning may be ashamed in the presence of the brotherhood. According to the power that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. This power is what he wishes to be idle, for those who are doing well: if in any way, they exercise themselves in this, so that the corrected may be edified, not the mortified sinners. For those who are criticized are not destroyed, but are built up for life.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) Furthermore, brothers, rejoice, be perfect, receive consolation, have the same mindset, act in peace; and the God of peace and love will be with you. This joy will come from repentance, from which perfection can arise: but before that, there will be consolation, so that they may renounce present pleasure in the hope of future things. Have the same mindset: this he says, because of the old disagreement; so that they may now think as one. Act in peace. If they are in agreement, they will have peace. And God of peace and love will be, he says, with you. God of peace is Christ, who said: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave you (John 14:27). He is also God of love; for again he says: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. And in this, he says, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34). However, there is a different peace of God and a different peace of the world; for even the wicked and impure have peace, but it is for their damnation; for the peace of Christ is free from sins. Therefore he avoids treachery, despises deceit, and resists evil deeds. This is pleasing to God and friendly, but hostile to the devil. Whoever possesses this will have both love and their God for perpetual protection.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. This is an ecclesiastical greeting; because these kisses are not carnal, but spiritual, which unite minds in the embrace of bodies, not in the desire of the flesh, but of the spirit. All the saints greet you. They provoke them to holiness, so that they themselves may dare to return the greeting to the saints; for they are greeted by the saints in order to imitate them.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Amen. This is the mystery of the Trinity, and the unity of power, because it is the perfection of all salvation. For the love of God sent us the Savior Jesus, by whose grace we are saved. In order to possess this grace of salvation, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is necessary: for this Spirit protects the beloved and saved by the grace of Christ; so that the perfection of the three may be the fulfillment of man in salvation.