< 2 Corinthians 6 >

1 Working together, we entreat also that you not 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 listened to you, and in a day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is the "acceptable time." Look, now is the "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 We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
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 servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
On the contrary, as God's servants, we seek their full approval--by unwearied endurance, by afflictions, by distress, by helplessness;
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
by floggings, by imprisonments; by facing riots, by toil, by sleepless watching, by hunger and thirst;
6 in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,
by purity of life, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love;
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by the proclamation of the truth, by the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness, wielded in both hands;
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, 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 yet well known; as dying, and look, we live; as punished, and not killed;
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 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet 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 Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.
O Corinthians, our lips are unsealed to you: our heart is expanded.
12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
There is no narrowness in our love to you: the narrowness is in your own feelings.
13 Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide.
And in just requital--I speak as to my children--let your hearts expand also.
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or 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 What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?
Where can harmony between Christ and Belial be found? Or what participation has a believer with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
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, "'Go out from their midst, and be separate,' 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 I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty.
and you shall be My sons and daughters,' says the Lord the Ruler of all."

< 2 Corinthians 6 >