²⁸ “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

6 Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain. ² For he says,

Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. ³ We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, ⁴ but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God: in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, ⁵ in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, ⁶ in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, ⁷ in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸ by glory and dishonor, 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 punished 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 to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged. ¹² You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. ¹³ Now in return—I speak as to my children—you also open your hearts.

¹⁴ Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.”^{(B) 17} Therefore

says the Lord Almighty.”^(D)

7 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

² Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one. ³ I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together. ⁴ Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.