2 Corinthians 6

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

Working together with him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God 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, “In a favorable time I paid attention to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the favorable time. Look, now is the day of salvation.

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.

We do not place a stumbling block in front of anyone, for we do not wish our ministry to be discredited.

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.

Instead, we prove ourselves by all our actions, that we are God's servants. We are his servants in much endurance, affliction, distress, hardship,

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.

beatings, imprisonments, riots, in hard work, 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.

in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine 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.

We are his servants in the word of truth, in the power of God. We have the armor of righteousness for the right hand and for 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.

We work in honor and dishonor, in slander and praise. We are accused of being deceitful and yet we are truthful.

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

We work as if we were unknown and we are still well known. We work as dying and—see!—we are still living. We work as being punished for our actions but not as condemned to death.

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

We work as sorrowful, but we are always rejoicing. We work as poor, but we are making many rich. We work as having nothing and yet as possessing all things.

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

We have spoken the whole truth to you, Corinthians, and our heart is wide open.

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

You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own hearts.

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

Now in fair exchange—I speak as to children—open yourselves wide also.

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 be tied together with unbelievers. For what association does righteousness have with lawlessness? For what fellowship does light have with darkness?

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

What agreement can Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have together with an unbeliever?

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.”

And what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: “I will dwell among them and walk among them. 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 them, and be set apart,” says the Lord. “Touch no unclean thing, 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.”

I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.