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.

Their Ministry Commended

And (A)working together with Him, (B)we also urge you not to receive (C)the grace of God in vain— 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”— (E)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything (F)commending ourselves as [a](G)servants of God, (H)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (K)hunger, in purity, in (L)knowledge, in (M)patience, in kindness, in the (N)Holy Spirit, in (O)genuine love, 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, by glory and (S)dishonor, by (T)evil report and good report; regarded as (U)deceivers and yet (V)true; 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

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:5 Lit tumults
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit is open to you
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or in us
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Lit inward parts
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Lit unevenly yoked
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar; a name of the devil and the antichrist
  9. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
  10. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple
  11. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple

And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain (for he saith,

[a]At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee,
And in a day of salvation did I succor thee:

behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation): giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much [b]patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; [c]by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by glory and dishonor, 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 always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

11 Our mouth is open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections. 13 Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged. 14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with [d]Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a [e]temple of God with idols? for we are a [f]temple of the living God; even as God said, [g]I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore

[h]Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate,

saith the Lord,

And touch no unclean thing;
And I will receive you,
18 [i]And will be to you a Father,
And ye shall be to me sons and daughters,

saith the Lord Almighty.