Test yourselves,
(to see)
if you are in the faith,
Examine yourselves.
Or do you, yourselves,
not recognise
that Christ is in you?
-unless you are failing the test.
For I hope that you will recognise
that we are not failing the test.
I pray to God,
that you do nothing bad
– not that we might appear to pass the test
but that you might do good
even thought we might be failures.
For we are not able to do anything
against the truth,
but for the truth
For we rejoice whenever
we are weak
and you are strong.
And we pray that
you may be made mature
Because of this
I am writing while absent
that when I am present
I may not have to act harshly,
in keeping with the authority,
which the Lord gave me
for building up,
and not for tearing down.
Finally
brothers/sisters
rejoice!
Be mature
be encouraged
Be of the same mind,
Be at peace,
and the God of love and peace
will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the saints greet you.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
(be) with you all.
Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.
Thomas More (c.1478-1535)