Chapter 6

¹Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain, ²for he says,

“At an acceptable time I listened to you,

In a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. ³We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, ⁴but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, ⁵in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; ⁶in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, ⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; ⁹as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed; ¹⁰as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged. ¹²You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. ¹³Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide. ¹⁴Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” ¹⁷Therefore,

“‘Come out from among them,

And be separate,’ says the Lord,

‘Touch no unclean thing.

I will receive you.

¹⁸I will be to you a Father.

You will be to me sons and daughters,’

says the Lord Almighty.”