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2 Corinthians 6
Evangelical Heritage Version
2 Corinthians 6
Evangelical Heritage Version
6 As fellow workers we also urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says:
At a favorable time I listened to you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.[a]
Look, now is the favorable time! See, now is the day of salvation!
3 We are giving no one a reason to stumble in any way, so that our ministry will not be blamed. 4 Rather, in every way we show ourselves to be God’s ministers: in great endurance, in troubles, in hardships, in difficulties, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in hard work, in sleepless nights, in times of hunger; 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness on the right and on the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good report; treated as deceivers yet being honest, 9 treated as unknown and yet being well known; as dying, and yet look—we live; as punished yet not put to death; 10 as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet making many rich; as having nothing yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken to you openly,[b] Corinthians. Our heart is standing wide open. 12 We have plenty of room for you, but you do not have room for us in your affections. 13 I am speaking as to my children: In exchange, open your hearts wide too.
Do Not Be Yoked With Unbelievers
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what partnership does righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 And what agreement does Christ have with Belial?[c] Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what mutual agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For you[d] are the temple of the living God, just as God said:
I will live and walk among them.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.[e]
17 Therefore come out from them, and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you.[f]
18 I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.[g]
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 Literally Our mouth is opened to you. This is an idiom for open and honest communication.
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek has Beliar. Belial is the more common spelling. It is a reference to Satan.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Some witnesses to the text read we.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
2 Corinthians 6
New International Version
2 Corinthians 6
New International Version
6 As God’s co-workers(A) we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.(B) 2 For he says,
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(D) so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments(E) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(F) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(G) and in sincere love;(H) 7 in truthful speech(I) and in the power of God;(J) with weapons of righteousness(K) in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor,(L) bad report(M) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(N) 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,(O) and yet we live on;(P) beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(Q) poor, yet making many rich;(R) having nothing,(S) and yet possessing everything.(T)
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.(U) 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children(V)—open wide your hearts(W) also.
Warning Against Idolatry
14 Do not be yoked together(X) with unbelievers.(Y) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(Z) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]?(AA) Or what does a believer(AB) have in common with an unbeliever?(AC) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(AD) For we are the temple(AE) of the living God.(AF) As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[c](AG)
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them(AH)
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[d](AI)
18 And,
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
2 Corinthians 6
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
2 Corinthians 6
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
6 Laboring together [as God’s fellow workers] with Him then, we beg of you not to receive the grace of God in vain [that [a]merciful kindness by which God exerts His holy influence on souls and turns them to Christ, keeping and strengthening them—do not receive it to no purpose].
2 For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation!(A)
3 We put no obstruction in anybody’s way [we give no offense in anything], so that no fault may be found and [our] ministry blamed and discredited.
4 But we commend ourselves in every way as [true] servants of God: through great endurance, in tribulation and suffering, in hardships and privations, in sore straits and calamities,
5 In beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless watching, hunger;
6 By innocence and purity, knowledge and spiritual insight, longsuffering and patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love;
7 By [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [to attack] and for the left hand [to defend];
8 Amid honor and dishonor; in defaming and evil report and in praise and good report. [We are branded] as deceivers (impostors), and [yet vindicated as] truthful and honest.
9 [We are treated] as unknown and ignored [by the world], and [yet we are] well-known and recognized [by God and His people]; as dying, and yet here we are alive; as chastened by suffering and [yet] not killed;
10 As grieved and mourning, yet [we are] always rejoicing; as poor [ourselves, yet] bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, and [yet in reality] possessing all things.
11 Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians [we are hiding nothing, keeping nothing back], and our heart is expanded wide [for you]!(B)
12 There is no lack of room for you in [our hearts], but you lack room in your own affections [for us].
13 By way of return then, do this for me—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also [to us].
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.(C)
17 So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,(D)
18 And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.(E)
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:1 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
2 Corinthians 6
King James Version
2 Corinthians 6
King James Version
6 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (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.)
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 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.
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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