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.

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive 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 says: “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.

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.

We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be 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 all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, 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 sleeplessness, 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.

by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

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.

by the word of truth, by 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 honor 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 yet 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. Be Holy

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

O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.

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

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by 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 in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

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?

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has 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 accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has 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 has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. 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.

Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, 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.”

“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the L ord Almighty.”