2 Corinthians 6
1 Working together with him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
WE then as labourers with him, exhort you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:
2 For he says, “In a favorable time I paid attention to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the favorable time. Look, now is the day of salvation.
for he saith, “In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We do not place a stumbling block in front of anyone, for we do not wish our ministry to be discredited.
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 Instead, we prove ourselves by all our actions, that we are God's servants. We are his servants in much endurance, affliction, distress, hardship,
but in every thing approving ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits,
5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, in hard work, in sleepless nights, in hunger,
in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,
6 in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love.
in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 We are his servants in the word of truth, in the power of God. We have the armor of righteousness for the right hand and for the left.
by the word of truth, by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left,
8 We work in honor and dishonor, in slander and praise. We are accused of being deceitful and yet we are truthful.
through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, yet true men;
9 We work as if we were unknown and we are still well known. We work as dying and—see!—we are still living. We work as being punished for our actions but not as condemned to death.
as unknown, though well known; as dying, and lo! we live; as chastened, yet not given over to death;
10 We work as sorrowful, but we are always rejoicing. We work as poor, but we are making many rich. We work as having nothing and yet as possessing all things.
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 We have spoken the whole truth to you, Corinthians, and our heart is wide open.
Our mouth is opened unto you, O Corinthians! our heart is enlarged.
12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own hearts.
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13 Now in fair exchange—I speak as to children—open yourselves wide also.
Let us have a like return; I speak as unto children; be ye also enlarged.
14 Do not be tied together with unbelievers. For what association does righteousness have with lawlessness? For what fellowship does light have with darkness?
Be not unequally yoked with infidels; for what participation hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what fellowship is there between light and darkness?
15 What agreement can Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have together with an unbeliever?
and what concord of Christ with Belial? or what share hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: “I will dwell among them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
or what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, “I will inhabit in them, and walk about in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be for me a people.”
17 Therefore, “Come out from among them, and be set apart,” says the Lord. “Touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you.
“Wherefore go forth from the midst of them, and be ye separated, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you,
18 I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.
and I will be as a father unto you, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
