2 Corinthians, 6
1. As his fellow-workers, we urge you not to let your acceptance of his grace come to nothing.
1. Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain.
2. As he said, 'At the time of my favour I have answered you; on the day of salvation I have helped you'; well, now is the real time of favour, now the day of salvation is here.
2. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3. We avoid putting obstacles in anyone's way, so that no blame may attach to our work of service;
3. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
4. but in everything we prove ourselves authentic servants of God; by resolute perseverance in times of hardships, difficulties and distress;
4. but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
5. when we are flogged or sent to prison or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving;
5. beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger;
6. in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness; in the Holy Spirit, in a love free of affectation;
6. by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love,
7. in the word of truth and in the power of God; by using the weapons of uprightness for attack and for defence:
7. truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
8. in times of honour or disgrace, blame or praise; taken for impostors and yet we are genuine;
8. in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
9. unknown and yet we are acknowledged; dying, and yet here we are, alive; scourged but not executed;
9. as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
10. in pain yet always full of joy; poor and yet making many people rich; having nothing, and yet owning everything.
10. as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11. People of Corinth, we have spoken frankly and opened our heart to you.
11. Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide.
12. Any distress you feel is not on our side; the distress is in your own selves.
12. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.
13. In fair exchange -- I speak as though to children of mine -- you must open your hearts too.
13. In return -- I speak as to children -- widen your hearts also.
14. Do not harness yourselves in an uneven team with unbelievers; how can uprightness and law-breaking be partners, or what can light and darkness have in common?
14. Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15. How can Christ come to an agreement with Beliar and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever?
15. What accord has Christ with Be'lial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16. The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are -- the temple of the living God. We have God's word for it: I shall fix my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people.
16. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17. Get away from them, purify yourselves, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean, and then I shall welcome you.
17. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you,
18. I shall be father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the almighty Lord.
18. and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
