2 Corinthians 6

1 And working jointly, we urge you also not to receive the grace of God in vain

And you also we, as God's fellow workers, entreat not to be found to have received His grace to no purpose.

2 (for he says, At an acceptable time I heard thee, and in a day of salvation I helped thee. Behold, now is an acceptable time. Behold, now is a day of salvation),

For He says, "At a time of welcome I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have succoured you." Now is the time of loving welcome! Now is the day of salvation!

3 giving not one cause of stumbling in anything, so that the ministry may not be criticized,

We endeavour to give people no cause for stumbling in anything, lest the work we are doing should fall into discredit.

4 but in everything commending ourselves as helpers of God, in much perseverance, in afflictions, in necessities, in restrictions,

On the contrary, as God's servants, we seek their full approval--by unwearied endurance, by afflictions, by distress, by helplessness;

5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hungerings,

by floggings, by imprisonments; by facing riots, by toil, by sleepless watching, by hunger and thirst;

6 in purity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in non-hypocritical love,

by purity of life, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love;

7 in word of truth, in power of God, through the weapons of righteousness of the right hand and of the left,

by the proclamation of the truth, by the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness, wielded in both hands;

8 through glory and disrepute, through slander and commendation; as deceitful, and yet true;

through honour and ignominy, through calumny and praise. We are looked upon as impostors and yet are true men;

9 as unknown, and well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not put to death;

as obscure persons, and yet are well known; as on the point of death, and yet, strange to tell, we live; as under God's discipline, and yet we are not deprived of life;

10 as grieving, but always rejoicing; as poor, but making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

as sad, but we are always joyful; as poor, but we bestow wealth on many; as having nothing, and yet we securely possess all things.

11 O Corinthians, our mouth has been opened to you, our heart has been enlarged.

O Corinthians, our lips are unsealed to you: our heart is expanded.

12 Ye are not limited in us, but ye are limited in your bowels.

There is no narrowness in our love to you: the narrowness is in your own feelings.

13 But I speak the same recompense as to children, be ye also enlarged.

And in just requital--I speak as to my children--let your hearts expand also.

14 Do not become unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness?

Do not come into close association with unbelievers, like oxen yoked with asses. For what is there in common between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what partnership has light with darkness?

15 And what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what share have believers with non-believers?

Where can harmony between Christ and Belial be found? Or what participation has a believer with an unbeliever?

16 And what mutual agreement has a temple of God with idols? For ye are a temple of the living God, just as God said, I will dwell in them, and will walk among them. And I will be their God, and they will be a people to me.

And what compact has the Temple of God with idols? For we are the Temple of the ever-living God; as God has said, "I will dwell among them, and walk about among them; and will be their God, and it is they who shall be My people."

17 Therefore, Come ye out from among them, and be ye separated, says the Lord, And touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you

Therefore, "'Come out from among them and separate yourselves,' says the Lord, 'and touch nothing impure; and I will receive you, and will be a Father to you,

18 and will be for a Father to you, and ye will be for sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

and you shall be My sons and daughters,' says the Lord the Ruler of all."