2 Corinthians 6

1 As workers together with God we also plead with you not to make your acceptance of God's grace worthless.

Therefore, as God’s fellow workers, we also appeal to you not to receive his loving kindness in vain.

2 Just as God said, “At the right time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I rescued you.” Believe me: now is the right time! Now is the day of salvation!

For he says – ‘At the time for acceptance I listened to you, and on the day of deliverance I helped you.’ Now is the time for acceptance! Now is the day of deliverance!

3 We don't put anything in anyone's way that would trip them up, making sure the work we do won't be criticized.

Never do we put an obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.

4 Instead we try to demonstrate we are good servants of God in every way we can. With a great deal of patience we put up with all kinds of trouble, hardship, and distress.

No, we are trying to commend ourselves under all circumstances, as God’s assistants should – in many an hour of endurance, in troubles, in hardships, in difficulties,

5 We have been beaten up, thrown into prison, and attacked by mobs. We have been worked to the bone, suffering sleepless nights and hunger.

in floggings, in imprisonments, in riots, in toils, in sleepless nights, in hunger;

6 We demonstrate who we are by living blameless lives in the knowledge of God, with a great deal of patience, being kind and filled with the Holy Spirit, showing sincere love.

by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindliness, by holiness of spirit, by unfeigned love;

7 We speak truthfully, living in the power of God. Our weapons consist of what is true and right; we attack with our right hand and we defend with our left.

by the message of truth, and by the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

8 We continue whether we are honored or dishonored, whether we are cursed or praised. People call us frauds but we tell the truth.

amid honor and disrepute, amid slander and praise; regarded as deceivers, yet proved to be true;

9 We are disregarded, even though we are well-known; given up for dead, but we're still alive; lashed, but not killed.

as unknown, yet well-known; as at death’s door, yet, see, we are living; as chastised, yet not killed;

10 Seen as miserable, we are always rejoicing; as poor, but we make many rich; as destitute, but we own everything!

as saddened, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things!

11 I've been speaking bluntly, my Corinthian friends, loving you with a big heart!

We have been speaking freely to you, dear friends in Corinth; we have opened our heart;

12 We haven't kept our love from you, but you have kept your love from us.

there is room there for you, yet there is not room, in your love, for us.

13 Please respond in the same way, as if you were my children, and be big-hearted!

Can you not in return – I appeal to you as I should to children – open your hearts to us?

14 Don't join together with people who don't believe—for what connection does goodness have with wickedness? What do light and darkness have in common?

Do not enter into inconsistent relations with those who reject the faith. For what partnership can there be between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what has light to do with darkness?

15 How could Christ and the Devil ever agree? How could a believer and an unbeliever share together?

What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial? Or what can those who accept the faith have in common with those who reject it?

16 What compromise could the Temple of God make with idols? For we are a temple of the living God, just as God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

What agreement can there be between a temple of God and idols? And we are a temple of the living God. That is what God meant when he said – ‘I will live among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.

17 “So leave them, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch anything that is unclean, and I will accept you.”

Therefore “Come out from among the nations, and separate yourselves from them,” says the Lord, “And touch nothing impure; and I will welcome you;

18 “I will be like a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord, the Ruler of all.’