2 Corinthians 6
New American Standard Bible 1995
Their Ministry Commended
6 And (A)working together with Him, (B)we also urge you not to receive (C)the grace of God in vain— 2 for He says,
“(D)At the acceptable time I listened to you,
And on the day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 3 (E)giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in everything (F)commending ourselves as [a](G)servants of God, (H)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (K)hunger, 6 in purity, in (L)knowledge, in (M)patience, in kindness, in the (N)Holy Spirit, in (O)genuine love, 7 in (P)the word of truth, in (Q)the power of God; by (R)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 by glory and (S)dishonor, by (T)evil report and good report; regarded as (U)deceivers and yet (V)true; 9 as unknown [b]yet well-known, as (W)dying [c]yet behold, (X)we live; as [d]punished [e]yet not put to death, 10 as (Y)sorrowful yet always (Z)rejoicing, as (AA)poor yet making many rich, as (AB)having nothing [f]yet possessing (AC)all things.
11 (AD)Our mouth [g]has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our (AE)heart is opened wide. 12 You are not restrained [h]by us, but (AF)you are restrained in your own [i]affections. 13 Now in a like (AG)exchange—I speak as to (AH)children—open wide to us also.
14 (AI)Do not be [j]bound together with (AJ)unbelievers; for what (AK)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what (AL)harmony has Christ with [k]Belial, or [l]what has a (AM)believer in common with an (AN)unbeliever? 16 Or (AO)what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are (AP)the temple of (AQ)the living God; just as God said,
“(AR)I will (AS)dwell in 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
- 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
- 2 Corinthians 6:9 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:10 Lit and
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit is open to you
- 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or in us
- 2 Corinthians 6:12 Lit inward parts
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 Lit unequally yoked
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
2 Corinthians 6
New International Version
6 As God’s co-workers(A) we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.(B) 2 For he says,
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(D) so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments(E) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(F) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(G) and in sincere love;(H) 7 in truthful speech(I) and in the power of God;(J) with weapons of righteousness(K) in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor,(L) bad report(M) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(N) 9 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,
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.