1 ¶ Por lo cual nosotros, ayudándole a él, también os exhortamos que no habéis recibido en vano la gracia de Dios,

We are working together with God. We ask you from our hearts not to receive God’s loving-favor and then waste it.

2 ( porque dice: En tiempo aceptable te he oído, y en día de salud te he socorrido; he aquí ahora el tiempo aceptable; he aquí ahora el día de la salud).

The Holy Writings say, “I heard you at the right time. I helped you on that day to be saved from the punishment of sin. Now is the right time! See! Now is the day to be saved.”

3 N o dando a nadie ningún escándalo, para que el ministerio no sea vituperado;

We do not want to put anything in the way that would keep people from God. We do not want to be blamed.

4 a ntes teniéndonos en todas las cosas como ministros de Dios, en mucha paciencia, en tribulaciones, en necesidades, en angustias;

Everything we do shows we are God’s servants. We have had to wait and suffer. We have needed things. We have been in many hard places and have had many troubles.

5 e n azotes, en cárceles, en alborotos, en trabajos, en vigilias, en ayunos;

We have been beaten. We have been put in prison. We have been in fights. We have worked hard. We have stayed awake watching. We have gone without food.

6 e n castidad, en ciencia, en mansedumbre, en bondad, en el Espíritu Santo, en caridad no fingida;

We have been pure. We have known what to do. We have suffered long. We have been kind. The Holy Spirit has worked in us. We have had true love.

7 e n palabra de verdad, en potencia de Dios, por las armas de justicia a diestra y a siniestra;

We have spoken the truth. We have God’s power. We have the sword of being right with God in the right hand and in the left hand.

8 p or honra y por deshonra, por infamia y por buena fama; como engaña-dores, mas hombres de la verdad;

Some men respect us and some do not. Some men speak bad against us and some thank us. They say we lie, but we speak the truth.

9 c omo ignorados, pero conocidos; como muriendo, mas he aquí vivimos; como castigados, pero no mortificados;

Some men act as if they do not know us. And yet we are known by everyone. They act as if we were dead, but we are alive. They try to hurt and destroy us, but they are not able to kill us.

10 c omo doloridos, mas siempre gozosos; como pobres, pero enriqueciendo a muchos; como los que no tienen nada, mas que lo poseen todo.

We are full of sorrow and yet we are always happy. We are poor and yet we make many people rich. We have nothing and yet we have everything.

11 ¶ Nuestra boca está abierta a vosotros, oh corintios, nuestro corazón es ensanchado.

We have spoken to you who are in the city of Corinth with plain words. Our hearts are wide open.

12 N o estáis estrechos en nosotros, sino estáis estrechos en vuestras propias entrañas.

Our hearts are not closed to you. But you have closed your hearts to us.

13 P ues, por la misma recompensa (como a hijos hablo), ensanchaos también vosotros.

I am speaking to you now as if you were my own children. Open your hearts wide to us! That will pay us back for what we have done for you.

14 N o os juntéis en yugo con los incrédulos; porque ¿qué compañía tiene la justicia con la injusticia? ¿Y qué comunicación la luz con las tinieblas?

Do not be joined together with those who do not belong to Christ. How can that which is good get along with that which is bad? How can light be in the same place with darkness?

15 ¿ Y qué concordia tiene Cristo con Belial? ¿O qué parte el fiel con el infiel?

How can Christ get along with the devil? How can one who has put his trust in Christ get along with one who has not put his trust in Christ?

16 ¿ Y qué consentimiento el templo de Dios con los ídolos? Porque vosotros sois el templo del Dios Viviente, como Dios dijo: Habitaré y andaré en ellos; y seré el Dios de ellos, y ellos serán mi pueblo.

How can the house of God get along with false gods? We are the house of the living God. God has said, “I will live in them and will walk among them. I will be their God and they will be My people.”

17 P or lo cual, salid de en medio de ellos, y apartaos, dice el Señor, y no toquéis cosa inmunda; y yo os recibiré,

The Lord has said, “So come out from among them. Do not be joined to them. Touch nothing that is sinful. And I will receive you.

18 y seré a vosotros Padre, y vosotros me seréis a mí hijos e hijas, dice el Señor Todopoderoso.

I will be a Father to you. You will be My sons and daughters, says the All-powerful God.”