1 P or lo tanto, nosotros, como colaboradores de Dios, les rogamos a ustedes que no reciban su gracia en vano.

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

2 P orque él dice: «En el momento oportuno te escuché; en el día de salvación te ayudé». Y éste es el momento oportuno; éste es el día de salvación.

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 somos motivo de tropiezo para nadie, para que tampoco nadie hable mal de nuestro ministerio.

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

4 M ás bien, siempre damos muestras de que somos ministros de Dios, con mucha paciencia en las tribulaciones, en las necesidades, en las 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 los azotes, en las cárceles, en los tumultos, en los trabajos, en los desvelos, en los 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 la pureza, en el conocimiento, en la tolerancia, en la bondad, en el Espíritu Santo, en el amor sincero,

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 la palabra de verdad, en el poder de Dios, con las armas justas, tanto para el ataque como para la defensa;

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 r ecibiendo honra y deshonra, mala fama y buena fama; se nos considera mentirosos, pero somos veraces;

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 d esconocidos para unos, somos bien conocidos para otros; parecemos estar moribundos, pero seguimos con vida; se nos ve castigados, pero no muertos;

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 p arecemos estar tristes, pero siempre estamos gozosos; parecemos pobres, pero enriquecemos a muchos; parecemos no tener nada, pero somos dueños de 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 ¡ Ay, corintios! Les hemos hablado con toda franqueza; les hemos abierto nuestro corazón.

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

12 N o les hemos cerrado nuestro corazón, aunque ustedes sí nos han cerrado el suyo.

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

13 P or tanto les pido, como de un padre a sus hijos, correspondan del mismo modo y ábrannos su corazón. Somos templo del Dios viviente

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 se unan con los incrédulos en un yugo desigual. Pues ¿qué tiene en común la justicia con la injusticia? ¿O qué relación puede haber entre la luz y 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 tiene en común el creyente con el incrédulo?

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 acuerdo puede haber entre el templo de Dios y los ídolos? ¡Ustedes son el templo del Dios viviente! Ya Dios lo ha dicho: «Habitaré y andaré entre ellos, y yo seré su Dios 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 tanto, el Señor dice: «Salgan de en medio de ellos, y apártense; y no toquen lo inmundo; y yo los 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 un Padre para ustedes, y ustedes serán mis hijos y mis hijas.» Lo ha dicho el Señor Todopoderoso.

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