We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

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

11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

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

13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Their Ministry Commended

Working together with Him, we strongly urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain [by turning away from sound doctrine and His merciful kindness]. For He says,

At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you,
And I helped you on the day of salvation.”

Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—(A)

we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger, in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [like holding the sword to attack] and for the left [like holding the shield to defend], amid glory and dishonor; by evil report and good report; branded as deceivers and yet [vindicated as] truthful; as unknown [to the world], yet well-known [by God and His people]; as dying, yet we live; as punished, yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.

11 We are speaking freely to you, Corinthians [we are keeping nothing back], and our heart is opened wide.(B) 12 There is no limit to our affection for you, but you are limited in your own affection [for us]. 13 Now in the same way as a fair exchange [for our love toward you]—I am speaking as [I would] to children—open wide [your hearts] to us also.

14 Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 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;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.(C)
17 
“So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord,
And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor],(D)
18 
And I will be a Father to you,
And you will be My sons and daughters,”
Says the Lord Almighty.(E)

Their Ministry Commended

And (A)working together with Him, (B)we also urge you not to receive (C)the grace of God in vain— for He says,

(D)At a favorable time I listened to you,
And on a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”— (E)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything (F)commending ourselves as [a](G)servants of God, (H)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (K)hunger, in purity, in (L)knowledge, in (M)patience, in kindness, in the (N)Holy Spirit, in (O)genuine love, in (P)the word of truth, and in (Q)the power of God; by (R)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and (S)dishonor, by (T)evil report and good report; regarded as (U)deceivers and yet (V)true; as unknown and yet well known, as (W)dying and yet behold, (X)we are alive; as [c]punished and yet not put to death, 10 as (Y)sorrowful yet always (Z)rejoicing, as (AA)poor yet making many rich, as (AB)having nothing and yet possessing (AC)all things.

11 (AD)Our mouth [d]has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our (AE)heart is opened wide. 12 You are not restrained [e]by us, but (AF)you are restrained in your own [f]affections. 13 Now in the same way in (AG)exchange—I am speaking as to (AH)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

14 (AI)Do not be [g]mismatched with (AJ)unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness (AK)share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? 15 Or what (AL)harmony does Christ have with [h]Belial, or [i]what does a (AM)believer share with an (AN)unbeliever? 16 Or (AO)what agreement does [j]the temple of God have with idols? For we are [k](AP)the temple of (AQ)the living God; just as God said,

(AR)I will (AS)dwell among them and (AT)walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 (AU)Therefore, (AV)come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
18 (AW)And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be (AX)sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:5 Lit tumults
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit is open to you
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or in us
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Lit inward parts
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Lit unevenly yoked
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar; a name of the devil and the antichrist
  9. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
  10. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple
  11. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple

As God’s partners,[a] we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says,

“At just the right time, I heard you.
    On the day of salvation, I helped you.”[b]

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

Paul’s Hardships

We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,[c] and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

11 Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. 12 There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. 13 I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!

The Temple of the Living God

14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil[d]? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

“I will live in them
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.[e]
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
    and I will welcome you.[f]
18 And I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.[g]

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Or As we work together.
  2. 6:2 Isa 49:8 (Greek version).
  3. 6:6 Or by our holiness of spirit.
  4. 6:15 Greek Beliar; various other manuscripts render this proper name of the devil as Belian, Beliab, or Belial.
  5. 6:16 Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27.
  6. 6:17 Isa 52:11; Ezek 20:34 (Greek version).
  7. 6:18 2 Sam 7:14.

Y ASI nosotros, como ayudadores juntamente con él, os exhortamos también á que no recibáis en vano la gracia de Dios,

En tiempo aceptable te he oído, Y en día de salud te he socorrido: he aquí ahora el tiempo aceptable; he aquí ahora el día de salud:)

No dando á nadie ningún escándalo, porque el ministerio nuestro no sea vituperado:

Antes habiéndonos en todas cosas como ministros de Dios, en mucha paciencia, en tribulaciones, en necesidades, en angustias;

En azotes, en cárceles, en alborotos, en trabajos, en vigilias, en ayunos;

En castidad, en ciencia, en longanimidad, en bondad, en Espíritu Santo, en amor no fingido;

En palabra de verdad, en potencia de Dios, en armas de justicia á diestro y á siniestro;

Por honra y por deshonra, por infamia y por buena fama; como engañadores, mas hombres de verdad;

Como ignorados, mas conocidos; como muriendo, mas he aquí vivimos; como castigados, mas no muertos;

10 Como doloridos, mas siempre gozosos; como pobres, mas enriqueciendo á muchos; como no teniendo nada, mas poseyéndolo todo.

11 Nuestra boca está abierta á vosotros, oh Corintios: nuestro corazón es ensanchado.

12 No estáis estrechos en nosotros, mas estáis estrechos en vuestras propias entrañas.

13 Pues, para corresponder al propio modo (como á hijos hablo), ensanchaos también vosotros.

14 No os juntéis en yugo con los infieles: porque ¿qué compañía tienes la justicia con la injusticia? ¿y qué comunión la luz con las tinieblas?

15 ¿Y qué concordia Cristo con Belial? ¿ó qué parte el fiel con el infiel?

16 ¿Y qué concierto el templo de Dios con los ídolos? porque vosotros sois el templo del Dios viviente, como Dios dijo: Habitaré y andaré en ellos; y seré el Dios de ellos, y ellos serán mi pueblo.

17 Por lo cual Salid de en medio de ellos, y apartaos, dice el Señor, Y no toquéis lo inmundo; Y yo os recibiré,

18 Y seré á vosotros Padre, Y vosotros me seréis á mí hijos é hijas, dice el Señor Todopoderoso.