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 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and lawlessness have in common? Or what partnership is there between light and darkness?(A) 15 What agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we[a] are the temple of the living God, as God said,

“I will live in them[b] and walk among them,
    and I will be their God,
    and they shall be my people.(B)
17 Therefore come out from them,
    and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch nothing unclean;
    then I will welcome you,(C)
18 and I will be your father,
    and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”(D)

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.(E)

Footnotes

  1. 6.16 Other ancient authorities read you
  2. 6.16 Or in their midst