2 Corinthians 6

1 Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain,

As a worker with him I beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

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 said. In an acceptable time have I heard thee, And in the day of salvation have I succored thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time! behold, now is the day of salvation!

3 We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,

I am giving no one a cause of stumbling in order that my ministry may not be discredited;

4 but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

but in every way I am striving to commend myself as God’s minister by stedfast endurance, by afflictions, by troubles, by distresses,

5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

by floggings, by imprisonment; in riots, in labors, in sleepless watching, in hunger and thirst;

6 in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,

with purity, understanding, patience, and kindness; by the Holy Spirit, by love sincere,

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 a true teaching and an energy divine; by the weapons of righteousness, for attack or for defense,

8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

amid honor or dishonor, amid evil report and good report; as a deceiver and yet true;

9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and look, we live; as punished, and not killed;

as unknown and yet well known; as at death’s door, yet, strange to tell, I live on; as chastened, but not killed;

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

as grieved, but always glad; as poor, but making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

11 Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

O Corinthians, I am unsealing my lips to you; my heart is wide open to you.

12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

There is no narrowness in my love; but the narrowness is in your own.

13 Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide.

I pray you, therefore, in fair exchange (I speak as to my children), let your hearts also be wide open to me.

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? what communion has light with darkness?

15 What agreement has Messiah with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?

What concord has Christ with Belial? What portion 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 God’s temple with idols? For we are a temple of the living God, as he has said. I will dwell among them, and walk about among them; I will be their God, and they will 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, saith the Lord, touch not what is unclean;

18 "And I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty.

then I will receive you and will be to you a Father, and you shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.