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

And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain

2 T he 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.”

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

giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;

4 E verything 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.

but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

5 W e 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.

in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

6 W e 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.

in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,

7 W e 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.

in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

8 S ome 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.

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

9 S ome 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.

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

10 W e 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.

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

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

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

12 O ur hearts are not closed to you. But you have closed your hearts to us.

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

13 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.

Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.

14 D o 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?

Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?

15 H ow 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?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?

16 H ow 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.”

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 T he 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.

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

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