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2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4
New International Version
2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4
New International Version
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(A) 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(B) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(C) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(D) and in sincere love;(E) 7 in truthful speech(F) and in the power of God;(G) with weapons of righteousness(H) in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor,(I) bad report(J) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(K) 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,(L) and yet we live on;(M) beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(N) poor, yet making many rich;(O) having nothing,(P) and yet possessing everything.(Q)
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.(R) 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(S)—open wide your hearts(T) also.
Warning Against Idolatry
14 Do not be yoked together(U) with unbelievers.(V) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(W) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]?(X) Or what does a believer(Y) have in common with an unbeliever?(Z) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(AA) For we are the temple(AB) of the living God.(AC) 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.”[b](AD)
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them(AE)
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[c](AF)
18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,(AG)
says the Lord Almighty.”[d](AH)
7 Therefore, since we have these promises,(AI) dear friends,(AJ) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness(AK) out of reverence for God.
Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance
2 Make room for us in your hearts.(AL) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts(AM) that we would live or die with you. 4 I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you.(AN) I am greatly encouraged;(AO) in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.(AP)
Footnotes
- 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 6:3-7:4
King James Version
2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4
King James Version
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.
7 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4
New King James Version
2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4
New King James Version
3 (A)We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves (B)as ministers of God: in much [a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 (C)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by [b]sincere love, 7 (D)by the word of truth, by (E)the power of God, by (F)the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and (G)yet well known; (H)as dying, and behold we live; (I)as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many (J)rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Be Holy
11 O Corinthians! [c]We have spoken openly to you, (K)our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but (L)you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (M)(I speak as to children), you also be open.
14 (N)Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For (O)what [d]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what [e]communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For (P)you[f] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
(Q)“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
(R)“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I (S)will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My (T)sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
The Corinthians’ Repentance
7 Therefore,(U) having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The Corinthians’ Repentance
2 Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, (V)we have cheated no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn; for (W)I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 (X)Great is my boldness of speech toward you, (Y)great is my boasting on your behalf. (Z)I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:4 endurance
- 2 Corinthians 6:6 Lit. unhypocritical
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit. Our mouth is open
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 in common
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 fellowship
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 NU we
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.