2 Corinthians 6
New Living Translation
6 As God’s partners,[a] we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. 2 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
3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,[c] and by our sincere love. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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
- 6:1 Or As we work together.
- 6:2 Isa 49:8 (Greek version).
- 6:6 Or by our holiness of spirit.
- 6:15 Greek Beliar; various other manuscripts render this proper name of the devil as Belian, Beliab, or Belial.
- 6:16 Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27.
- 6:17 Isa 52:11; Ezek 20:34 (Greek version).
- 6:18 2 Sam 7:14.
2 Corinthians 6
New American Standard Bible 1995
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 the acceptable time I listened to you,
And on the day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 3 (E)giving no cause for 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 distresses, 5 in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)tumults, 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, 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 [b]yet well-known, as (W)dying [c]yet behold, (X)we live; as [d]punished [e]yet not put to death, 10 as (Y)sorrowful yet always (Z)rejoicing, as (AA)poor yet making many rich, as (AB)having nothing [f]yet possessing (AC)all things.
11 (AD)Our mouth [g]has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our (AE)heart is opened wide. 12 You are not restrained [h]by us, but (AF)you are restrained in your own [i]affections. 13 Now in a like (AG)exchange—I speak as to (AH)children—open wide to us also.
14 (AI)Do not be [j]bound together with (AJ)unbelievers; for what (AK)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what (AL)harmony has Christ with [k]Belial, or [l]what has a (AM)believer in common with an (AN)unbeliever? 16 Or (AO)what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are (AP)the temple of (AQ)the living God; just as God said,
“(AR)I will (AS)dwell in 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 6:9 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:10 Lit and
- 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 unequally yoked
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
