New Testament · 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 6

Paul’s Hardships and God’s Grace

1And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace^a of God in vain — 2for He says, "At the acceptable appointed time I listened to you, and on the day of Salvation I helped you"; behold, now is the acceptable appointed time, behold, now is the day of Salvation —^b

3giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,

4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6in purity, in knowledge^c, in patience, in kindness, in holy^d spirit^e, in unhypocritical love^f, 7in the word^g of truth^h, in the powerⁱ of God; by the weapons of righteousness^j for the right hand and the left, 8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, 10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

11Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart^k is opened wide. 12You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. 13Now in a like exchange — I speak as to children — open wide to us also.

Do Not Be Unequally Yoked

14Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship^m has light with darkness?^l 15Or what harmony has Messiah with Belialⁿ, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16Or what agreement has the temple^o of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

17"Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean^p; and I will welcome you."

18"And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty.