What does 2 Corinthians 13:3 mean?

When coming to visit the believers in Corinth, Paul will be coming as something of a spiritual judge. He is planning to hold accountable all who are living in ongoing sin. His purpose is to expose and confront them for their rebellion against Christ. He wrote ominously that he would not spare them (2 Corinthians 13:1–2).

Though not always in the best ways, the Corinthians have been looking for proof that Christ genuinely speaks through Paul as His apostle. Ominously, Paul says they will get proof when they see how powerfully Christ acts to discipline their sinfulness. Even if they think Paul is weak in person, they should not think Christ will be weak when judging their lack of repentance for sin. They will see that Christ is, indeed, powerful.

Paul is not threatening them, nor promising any particular result. It should be noted—and the Corinthians would have known—that there were instances in the early church where God issued severe punishment (Acts 5:1–11; 13:8–11). At the very least, Paul is being deadly serious in warning of consequences for those who lack repentance from sin.