Working together[a] with Him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.” For He says:

I heard you in an acceptable time,
and I helped you in the day of salvation.(A)[b]

Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.(B)

The Character of Paul’s Ministry

We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. But as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything:

by great endurance, by afflictions,
by hardship, by difficulties,
by beatings, by imprisonments,(C)
by riots, by labors,
by sleepless nights, by times of hunger,
by purity,(D) by knowledge,(E)
by patience,(F) by kindness,(G)
by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,(H)
by the message of truth,(I)
by the power of God;(J)
through weapons of righteousness
on the right hand and the left,
through glory(K) and dishonor,
through slander and good report;
as deceivers yet true;
as unknown yet recognized;
as dying and look—we live;
as being disciplined yet not killed;
10 as grieving yet always rejoicing;(L)
as poor yet enriching many;
as having nothing yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken openly[c] to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. 12 You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections. 13 I speak as to my children. As a proper response, you should also be open to us.

Separation to God

14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?(M) Or what fellowship does light(N) have with darkness?(O) 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial?[d] Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does God’s sanctuary have with idols?(P) For we[e] are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said:

I will dwell among them(Q)
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,(R)
and they will be My people.(S)[f]
17 Therefore, come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord;
do not touch any unclean thing,
and I will welcome you.(T)[g]
18 I will be a Father(U) to you,
and you will be sons(V) and daughters to Me,
says the Lord Almighty.(W)[h]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:1 Or As we work together
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Is 49:8
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit Our mouths have been open
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Or Beliar, a name for the Devil or antichrist in extra-biblical Jewish writings
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Other mss read you
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lv 26:12; Jr 31:33; 32:38; Ezk 37:26
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Is 52:11
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:18 2Sm 7:14; Is 43:6; 49:22; 60:4; Hs 1:10

Afflictions of God’s Servants

Now because we[a] are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,

“At the acceptable time I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[b]

Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation! We are giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found with it, but commending ourselves as servants of God in every way, in much endurance, in afflictions, in distresses, in difficulties, in beatings, in prisons, in disturbances, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in going hungry, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love without hypocrisy, in the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and left hand, through glory and dishonor, through slander and good repute, regarded as deceivers and yet truthful, as unknown and yet known completely, as dying, and behold, we go on living, as disciplined, and yet not put to death, 10 as grieving, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely and openly[c] to you, Corinthians; our heart is open wide. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your affections. 13 Now the same way in exchange (I am speaking as to children), you open wide your hearts also.

Do Not Become Unevenly Yoked with Unbelievers

14 Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers, for what participation is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,

“I will live in[d] them and will walk about among them,
and I will be their God and they will be my people.”[e]
17 Therefore “come out from their midst
and be separate,” says the Lord,
“and do not touch what is unclean,[f]
and I will welcome you,[g]
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you will be sons and daughters to me,”[h]
says the all-powerful Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:1 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are fellow workers”) which is understood as causal
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:2 A quotation from Isa 49:8
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Literally “the mouth of us has opened”
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or “with”
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:16 A quotation from Lev 26:12 (also similar to Jer 32:38, Ezek 37:27)
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:17 A quotation from Isa 52:11
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:17 A paraphrased quotation from Ezek 20:41
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:18 A paraphrased quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 and Isa 43:6