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 also we call upon that ye receive not in vain the grace of God --

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, `In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now a well-accepted time; lo, now, a 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.

in nothing giving any cause of offence, that the ministration may 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 recommending ourselves as God's ministrants; in much patience, in tribulations, 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 insurrections, in labours, 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, through the armour of the righteousness, on the right 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.

through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report, as leading astray, and 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 recognized; as dying, and lo, we live; as chastened, and not put to death;

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, and always rejoicing; as poor, and making many rich; as having nothing, and 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 hath been open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart hath been enlarged!

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

ye are not straitened in us, and ye are straitened in your bowels,

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.

and a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say,) be ye enlarged -- also ye!

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?

Become not yoked with others -- unbelievers, for what partaking to righteousness and lawlessness?

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 fellowship to light with darkness? and what concord to Christ with Belial? or what part to 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 to the sanctuary of God with idols? for ye are a sanctuary of the living God, according as God said -- `I will dwell in them, and will walk among, 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 forth out of the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and an unclean thing do not touch, and I -- 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 I will be to you for a Father, and ye -- ye shall be to Me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.'