2 Corinthians 6
English Standard Version
6 (A)Working together with him, then, (B)we appeal to you (C)not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
(D)“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, (E)now is the (F)favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We (G)put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but (H)as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: (I)by great endurance, (J)in afflictions, (K)hardships, calamities, 5 (L)beatings, imprisonments, (M)riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 (N)by purity, (O)knowledge, patience, kindness, (P)the Holy Spirit, (Q)genuine love; 7 by (R)truthful speech, and (S)the power of God; with (T)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, (U)through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and (V)yet well known; (W)as dying, and behold, we live; (X)as punished, and yet not killed; 10 (Y)as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; (Z)as poor, yet making many rich; (AA)as having nothing, (AB)yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you,[a] Corinthians; (AC)our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but (AD)you are restricted in your own affections. 13 (AE)In return (I speak (AF)as to children) widen your hearts also.
The Temple of the Living God
14 (AG)Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For (AH)what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or (AI)what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 (AJ)What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For (AK)we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
(AL)“I will make my dwelling among them and (AM)walk among them,
and (AN)I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore (AO)go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 (AP)and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 Greek Our mouth is open to you
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar
2 Corinthians 6
New American Standard Bible
Their Ministry Commended
6 And (A)working together with Him, (B)we also urge you not to receive (C)the grace of God in vain— 2 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”— 3 (E)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in everything (F)commending ourselves as [a](G)servants of God, (H)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, 5 in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (K)hunger, 6 in purity, in (L)knowledge, in (M)patience, in kindness, in the (N)Holy Spirit, in (O)genuine love, 7 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, 8 by glory and (S)dishonor, by (T)evil report and good report; regarded as (U)deceivers and yet (V)true; 9 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
- 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
- 2 Corinthians 6:5 Lit tumults
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit is open to you
- 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or in us
- 2 Corinthians 6:12 Lit inward parts
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 Lit unevenly yoked
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar; a name of the devil and the antichrist
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple
2 Corinthians 6
Amplified Bible
Their Ministry Commended
6 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]. 2 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)
3 we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6 in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 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], 8 amid glory and dishonor; by evil report and good report; branded as deceivers and yet [vindicated as] truthful; 9 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)
2 Corinthians 6
The Message
Staying at Our Post
6 1-10 Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us,
I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.
Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.
11-13 Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
* * *
14-18 Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:
“I’ll live in them, move into them;
I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;
leave it for good,” says God.
“Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you;
you’ll be sons and daughters to me.”
The Word of the Master, God.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson