2 Corinthians 6

1 We are workers together with God, so we beg you: Do not let the grace that you received from God be for nothing.

2 God says,
“At the right time I heard your prayers. On the day of salvation I helped you.” t
I tell you that the “right time” is now, and the “day of salvation” is now.
3 We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so nothing we do will be a problem for anyone.4 But in every way we show we are servants of God: in accepting many hard things, in troubles, in difficulties, and in great problems.5 We are beaten and thrown into prison. We meet those who become upset with us and start riots. We work hard, and sometimes we get no sleep or food.6 We show we are servants of God by our pure lives, our understanding, patience, and kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by true love,7 by speaking the truth, and by God’s power. We use our right living to defend ourselves against everything.8 Some people honor us, but others blame us. Some people say evil things about us, but others say good things. Some people say we are liars, but we speak the truth.9 We are not known, but we are well known. We seem to be dying, but we continue to live. We are punished, but we are not killed.

10 We have much sadness, but we are always rejoicing. We are poor, but we are making many people rich in faith. We have nothing, but really we have everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you in Corinth and have opened our hearts to you.12 Our feelings of love for you have not stopped, but you have stopped your feelings of love for us.

13 I speak to you as if you were my children. Do to us as we have done—open your hearts to us.

Warning About Non-Christians

14 You are not the same as those who do not believe. So do not join yourselves to them. Good and bad do not belong together. Light and darkness cannot share together.15 How can Christ and Belial, the devil, have any agreement? What can a believer have together with a nonbeliever?16 The temple of God cannot have any agreement with idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live with them and walk with them. And I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 

17 “Leave those people, and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch nothing that is unclean, and I will accept you.” t; t, t
18 “I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” t

2 Corinthians 6

1 And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain2 (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):3 giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;4 but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;6 in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,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 chastened, 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 unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged.12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections.13 Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you,

18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.