2 Corinthians 6

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

But, as a help to you, we exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

2 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!

For he says: “In a favorable time, I heeded you; and on the day of salvation, I helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

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

May we never give offense to anyone, so that our ministry may not be disparaged.

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

But in all things, let us exhibit ourselves as ministers of God with great patience: through tribulation, difficulties, and distress;

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

despite wounds, imprisonment, and rebellion; with hard work, vigilance, and fasting;

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

by chastity, knowledge, and longsuffering; in pleasantness, in the Holy Spirit, and in unfeigned charity;

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

with the Word of truth, with the power of God, and with the armor of justice to the right and to the left;

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

through honor and dishonor, despite good reports and bad, whether seen as deceivers or truth-tellers, whether ignored or acknowledged;

9 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;

as if dying and yet truly alive; as if chastised and yet not subdued;

10 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.

as if sorrowful and yet always rejoicing; as if needy and yet enriching many; as if having nothing and possessing everything.

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

Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians; our heart is enlarged.

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

You are not narrowed by us, but it is by your own inner selves that you are narrowed.

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

But since we have the same recompense, (I am speaking as if to my own sons), you, too, should be enlarged.

14 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?

Do not choose to bear the yoke with unbelievers. For how can justice be a participant with iniquity? Or how can the fellowship of light be a participant with darkness?

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

And how can Christ join together with Belial? Or what part do the faithful have with the unfaithful?

16 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."

And what consensus does the temple of God have with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, just as God says: “I will dwell with them, and I will walk among them. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 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,

Because of this, you must depart from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean.

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

Then I will accept you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”