3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, (who is not weak towards you, but is powerful among you,
For *ye* are not the speakers, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.
The signs indeed of the apostle were wrought among you in all endurance, signs, and wonders, and works of power.
Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in [the] heavens. For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
for *I* will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your opposers shall not be able to reply to or resist.
[to deliver,] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye and my spirit being gathered together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), him that has so wrought this: to deliver him, [I say,] [being] such, to Satan for destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not *ye* my work in [the] Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are *ye* in [the] Lord. My defence to those who examine me is this:
Sufficient to such a one [is] this rebuke which [has been inflicted] by the many;
But to whom ye forgive anything, *I* also; for I also, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, [it is] for your sakes in [the] person of Christ;
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some, commendatory letters to you, or [commendatory] from you? *Ye* are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read of all men, being manifested to be Christ's epistle ministered by us, written, not with ink, but [the] Spirit of [the] living God; not on stone tables, but on fleshy tables of [the] heart.
For the arms of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful according to God to [the] overthrow of strongholds;
For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given [to us] for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame; that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters: because his letters, he says, [are] weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 13
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
In this chapter the apostle threatens to be severe against obstinate sinners, and assigns the reason thereof (v. 1-6); then he makes a suitable prayer to God on the behalf of the Corinthians, with the reasons inducing him thereto (v. 7-10), and concludes his epistle with a valediction and a benediction (v. 11-14).
2Cr 13:1-6
In these verses observe,
2Cr 13:7-10
Here we have,
2Cr 13:11-14
Thus the apostle concludes this epistle with,