Separation to God

14 Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?(A) Or what fellowship does light(B) have with darkness?(C) 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial?[a] Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols?(D) For we[b] are the temple of the living God, as God said:

I will dwell(E)
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,(F)
and they will be my people.[c](G)
17 Therefore, come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord;
do not touch any unclean thing,
and I will welcome you.[d](H)
18 And I will be a Father(I) to you,
and you will be sons(J) and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.[e](K)

So then, dear friends, since we have these promises,(L) let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit,(M) bringing holiness to completion[f] in the fear of God.(N)

Footnotes

  1. 6:15 Or Beliar
  2. 6:16 Other mss read you
  3. 6:16 Lv 26:12; Jr 31:33; 32:38; Ezk 37:26
  4. 6:17 Is 52:11
  5. 6:18 2Sm 7:14; Is 43:6; 49:22; 60:4; Hs 1:10
  6. 7:1 Or spirit, perfecting holiness

Relating with Unbelievers

14 Stop becoming[a] unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony exists between the Messiah[b] and Beliar,[c] or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common? 16 What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we[d] are the temple of the living God, just as God said:

“I will live and walk among them.
    I will be their God,
        and they will be my people.”[e]

17 Therefore,

“Get away from them
    and separate yourselves from them,”
        declares the Lord,[f]
“and don’t touch anything unclean.
    Then I will welcome you.
18 I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,”
        declares the Lord[g] Almighty.[h]

Cleanse Yourselves in Holiness

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let’s cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit by becoming mature in our holy fear of God.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Or Don’t become
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Or Christ
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:15 I.e. the devil
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Other mss. read you (pl.)
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:17 MT source citation reads Lord
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:18 MT source citation reads Lord
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:18 Isa 52:11; Ezek 20:34, 41; 2 Sam 7:8, 14