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

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[a]? 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.[b]
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.[c]
18 And I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.[d]

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

Footnotes

  1. 6:15 Greek Beliar; various other manuscripts render this proper name of the devil as Belian, Beliab, or Belial.
  2. 6:16 Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27.
  3. 6:17 Isa 52:11; Ezek 20:34 (Greek version).
  4. 6:18 2 Sam 7:14.