2 Corinthians 6
New Testament for Everyone
6 So, as we work together with God, we appeal to you in particular: when you accept God’s grace, don’t let it go to waste! 2 This is what he says:
I listened to you when the time was right,
I came to your aid on the day of salvation.
Look! The right time is now! Look! The day of salvation is here!
God’s servants at work
3 We put no obstacles in anybody’s way, so that nobody will say abusive things about our ministry. 4 Instead, we recommend ourselves as God’s servants: with much patience, with sufferings, difficulties, hardships, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, going without food, 6 with purity, knowledge, great-heartedness, kindness, the holy spirit, genuine love, 7 by speaking the truth, by God’s power, with weapons for God’s faithful work in right and left hand alike, 8 through glory and shame, through slander and praise; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, yet very well known; as dying, and look—we are alive; as punished, yet not killed; 10 as sad, yet always celebrating; as poor, yet bringing riches to many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
11 We have been wide open in our speaking to you, my dear Corinthians! Our heart has been opened wide! 12 There are no restrictions at our end; the only restrictions are in your affection! 13 I’m speaking as though to children: you should open your hearts wide as well in return. That’s fair enough, isn’t it?
Don’t be mismatched
14 Don’t be drawn into partnership with unbelievers. What kind of sharing can there be, after all, between justice and lawlessness? What partnership can there be between light and darkness? 15 What kind of harmony can the Messiah have with Beliar? What has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 What kind of agreement can there be between God’s temple and idols? We are the temple of the living God, you see, just as God said:
I will live among them and walk about with them;
I will be their God, and they will be my people.
17 So come out from the midst of them,
and separate yourselves, says the Lord;
no unclean thing must you touch.
Then I will receive you gladly,
18 and I will be to you as a father,
and you will be to me as sons and daughters,
says the Lord, the Almighty.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
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