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2 Corinthians 6
International Standard Version
2 Corinthians 6
International Standard Version
Workers with God
6 Since, then, we are working with God,[a] we plead with you not to accept God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“At the right time I heard you,
and on a day of salvation I helped you.”[b]
Listen, now is really the “right time”! Now is the “day of salvation”!
We are God’s Servants
3 We do not put an obstacle in anyone’s way. Otherwise, fault may be found with our ministry. 4 Instead, in every way we demonstrate that we are God’s servants by tremendous endurance in the midst of difficulties, hardships, and calamities; 5 in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger; 6 with purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; with the Holy Spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and divine power; through the weapons of righteousness in the right and left hands; 8 through honor and dishonor; through ill repute and good repute; perceived[c] as deceivers and yet true, 9 as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet—as you see—very much alive, as punished and yet not killed, 10 as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing, as poor and yet enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken frankly[d] to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are wide open. 12 We have not cut you off, but you have cut off your own feelings toward us. 13 Do us a favor—I ask you as my children—and open wide your hearts.
Relating with Unbelievers
14 Stop becoming[e] unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony exists between the Messiah[f] and Beliar,[g] or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common? 16 What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we[h] are the temple of the living God, just as God said:
“I will live and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[i]
17 Therefore,
“Get away from them
and separate yourselves from them,”
declares the Lord,[j]
“and don’t touch anything unclean.
Then I will welcome you.
18 I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,”
declares the Lord[k] Almighty.[l]
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:1 Lit. working together
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isa 49:8
- 2 Corinthians 6:8 The Gk. lacks perceived
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit. Our mouth is open
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 Or Don’t become
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Or Christ
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 I.e. the devil
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Other mss. read you (pl.)
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 MT source citation reads Lord
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 MT source citation reads Lord
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 Isa 52:11; Ezek 20:34, 41; 2 Sam 7:8, 14
2 Corinthians 6
New International Version
2 Corinthians 6
New International Version
6 As God’s co-workers(A) we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.(B) 2 For he says,
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(D) so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments(E) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(F) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(G) and in sincere love;(H) 7 in truthful speech(I) and in the power of God;(J) with weapons of righteousness(K) in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor,(L) bad report(M) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(N) 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,(O) and yet we live on;(P) beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(Q) poor, yet making many rich;(R) having nothing,(S) and yet possessing everything.(T)
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.(U) 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children(V)—open wide your hearts(W) also.
Warning Against Idolatry
14 Do not be yoked together(X) with unbelievers.(Y) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(Z) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]?(AA) Or what does a believer(AB) have in common with an unbeliever?(AC) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(AD) For we are the temple(AE) of the living God.(AF) As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[c](AG)
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them(AH)
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”[d](AI)
18 And,
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
- 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
2 Corinthians 6
King James Version
2 Corinthians 6
King James Version
6 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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