1 L aboring together with Him then, we beg of you not to receive the grace of God in vain '> merciful kindness by which God exerts His holy influence on souls and turns them to Christ, keeping and strengthening them—do not receive it to no purpose].

And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—

2 F or He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance; behold, now is the day of salvation!

for He says, “ 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 W e put no obstruction in anybody’s way, so that no fault may be found and ministry blamed and discredited.

giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,

4 B ut we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: through great endurance, in tribulation and suffering, in hardships and privations, in sore straits and calamities,

but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

5 I n beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless watching, hunger;

in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,

6 B y innocence and purity, knowledge and spiritual insight, longsuffering and patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love;

in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,

7 B y the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left hand;

in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

8 A mid honor and dishonor; in defaming and evil report and in praise and good report. as deceivers (impostors), and truthful and honest.

by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;

9 a s unknown and ignored, and well-known and recognized; as dying, and yet here we are alive; as chastened by suffering and not killed;

as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,

10 A s grieved and mourning, yet always rejoicing; as poor bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

11 O ur mouth is open to you, Corinthians, and our heart is expanded wide!

Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.

12 T here is no lack of room for you in, but you lack room in your own affections.

You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.

13 B y way of return then, do this for me—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.

Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.

14 D o not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

15 W hat harmony can there be between Christ and Belial ? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

16 W hat agreement a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “ I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

17 S o, come out from among, and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,

“ Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “ And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.

18 A nd I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

“ And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.