身为上帝的同工,我们劝你们不要辜负祂的恩典。 因为祂说:

“在悦纳的时候,
我应允了你;
在拯救的日子,
我帮助了你。”

看啊,现在正是悦纳的时候!看啊,现在正是拯救的日子!

上帝仆人的品格

为了避免有人毁谤我们的职分,我们凡事尽量不妨碍别人, 反倒在任何事上都显明自己是上帝的仆人。不论遭遇什么患难、艰苦、贫穷、 鞭打、囚禁、暴乱、辛劳、无眠或饥饿,我们都坚忍到底, 靠着纯洁、知识、忍耐、仁慈、圣灵的感动、无伪的爱心、 真理之道、上帝的大能、左右手中的公义兵器, 无论是得荣耀还是受羞辱,遭毁谤还是得称赞,都显明自己是上帝的仆人。我们被视为骗子,却是诚实无伪; 似乎默默无闻,却是家喻户晓;似乎快死了,看啊!我们却仍然活着;受严刑拷打,却没有丧命; 10 似乎郁郁寡欢,却常常喜乐;似乎一贫如洗,却使多人富足;似乎一无所有,却样样都有!

11 哥林多人啊!我们对你们推心置腹,开诚布公, 12 毫无保留,只是你们自己心胸太窄。 13 现在请你们也向我们敞开心怀。我这样说,是把你们当成自己的儿女。

永活上帝的殿

14 不要和非信徒同负一轭,因为公义和不法怎能合作呢?光明和黑暗怎能共存呢? 15 基督与魔鬼[a]怎能相容呢?信徒与非信徒有什么相干呢? 16 上帝的殿与偶像怎能相提并论呢?因为我们就是永活上帝的殿,正如上帝说:

“我要住在他们中间,
在他们当中往来;
我要做他们的上帝,
他们要做我的子民。”

17 又说:

“所以,你们要从他们中间出来,
离开他们,不要沾染污秽之物,
我就接纳你们。
18 我要做你们的父亲,
你们要做我的儿女。
这是全能的主说的。”

Footnotes

  1. 6:15 魔鬼”希腊文是“彼列”。

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.

Marks of the Ministry

We then, as (A)workers together with Him also (B)plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:

(C)“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

(D)We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves (E)as ministers of God: in much [a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, (F)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by [b]sincere love, (G)by the word of truth, by (H)the power of God, by (I)the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and (J)yet well known; (K)as dying, and behold we live; (L)as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many (M)rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Be Holy

11 O Corinthians! [c]We have spoken openly to you, (N)our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but (O)you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (P)(I speak as to children), you also be open.

14 (Q)Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For (R)what [d]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what [e]communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For (S)you[f] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

(T)“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

(U)“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I (V)will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My (W)sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 endurance
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:6 Lit. unhypocritical
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit. Our mouth is open
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:14 in common
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:14 fellowship
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:16 NU we