Marks of the Ministry

We then, as (A)workers together with Him also (B)plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:

(C)“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

(D)We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves (E)as ministers of God: in much [a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, (F)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by [b]sincere love, (G)by the word of truth, by (H)the power of God, by (I)the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and (J)yet well known; (K)as dying, and behold we live; (L)as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many (M)rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Be Holy

11 O Corinthians! [c]We have spoken openly to you, (N)our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but (O)you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (P)(I speak as to children), you also be open.

14 (Q)Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For (R)what [d]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what [e]communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For (S)you[f] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

(T)“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

(U)“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I (V)will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My (W)sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 endurance
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:6 Lit. unhypocritical
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit. Our mouth is open
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:14 in common
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:14 fellowship
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:16 NU we

Their Ministry Commended

And (A)working together with Him, (B)we also urge you not to receive (C)the grace of God in vain— for He says,

(D)At a favorable time I listened to you,
And on a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”— (E)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything (F)commending ourselves as [a](G)servants of God, (H)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (K)hunger, in purity, in (L)knowledge, in (M)patience, in kindness, in the (N)Holy Spirit, in (O)genuine love, in (P)the word of truth, and in (Q)the power of God; by (R)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and (S)dishonor, by (T)evil report and good report; regarded as (U)deceivers and yet (V)true; as unknown and yet well known, as (W)dying and yet behold, (X)we are alive; as [c]punished and yet not put to death, 10 as (Y)sorrowful yet always (Z)rejoicing, as (AA)poor yet making many rich, as (AB)having nothing and yet possessing (AC)all things.

11 (AD)Our mouth [d]has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our (AE)heart is opened wide. 12 You are not restrained [e]by us, but (AF)you are restrained in your own [f]affections. 13 Now in the same way in (AG)exchange—I am speaking as to (AH)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

14 (AI)Do not be [g]mismatched with (AJ)unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness (AK)share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? 15 Or what (AL)harmony does Christ have with [h]Belial, or [i]what does a (AM)believer share with an (AN)unbeliever? 16 Or (AO)what agreement does [j]the temple of God have with idols? For we are [k](AP)the temple of (AQ)the living God; just as God said,

(AR)I will (AS)dwell among them and (AT)walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 (AU)Therefore, (AV)come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
18 (AW)And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be (AX)sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:5 Lit tumults
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit is open to you
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or in us
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Lit inward parts
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Lit unevenly yoked
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar; a name of the devil and the antichrist
  9. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
  10. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple
  11. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple

As God’s co-workers(A) we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.(B) For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[a](C)

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s Hardships

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(D) so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments(E) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(F) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(G) and in sincere love;(H) in truthful speech(I) and in the power of God;(J) with weapons of righteousness(K) in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor,(L) bad report(M) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(N) known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,(O) and yet we live on;(P) beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(Q) poor, yet making many rich;(R) having nothing,(S) and yet possessing everything.(T)

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.(U) 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children(V)—open wide your hearts(W) also.

Warning Against Idolatry

14 Do not be yoked together(X) with unbelievers.(Y) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(Z) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]?(AA) Or what does a believer(AB) have in common with an unbeliever?(AC) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(AD) For we are the temple(AE) of the living God.(AF) As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”[c](AG)

17 Therefore,

“Come out from them(AH)
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”[d](AI)

18 And,

“I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,(AJ)
says the Lord Almighty.”[e](AK)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath 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 out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

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