The Second to the Corinthians 6:1-18

  • God’s kindness not to be misused (1, 2)

  • Paul’s ministry described (3-13)

  • Do not become unevenly yoked (14-18)

6  Working together with him,+ we also urge you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.+ 2  For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you.”+ Look! Now is the especially acceptable time. Look! Now is the day of salvation. 3  In no way are we giving any cause for stumbling, so that no fault may be found with our ministry;+ 4  but in every way we recommend ourselves as God’s ministers,+ by the endurance of much, by tribulations, by times of need, by difficulties,+ 5  by beatings, by imprisonments,+ by riots, by hard work, by sleepless nights, by times without food;+ 6  by purity, by knowledge, by patience,+ by kindness,+ by holy spirit, by love free from hypocrisy,+ 7  by truthful speech, by God’s power;+ through the weapons of righteousness+ in the right hand* and in the left,* 8  through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good report. We are regarded as deceivers and yet we are truthful, 9  as unknown and yet we are recognized, as dying* and yet look! we live,+ as punished* and yet not handed over to death,+ 10  as sorrowing but ever rejoicing, as poor but making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.+ 11  We have opened our mouth to speak* to you, Corinthians, and we have opened wide our heart. 12  We are not restricted in* our affections for you,+ but you are restricted in your own tender affections for us. 13  So in response—I speak as to my children—you too open your hearts wide.*+ 14  Do not become unevenly yoked* with unbelievers.+ For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have?+ Or what sharing does light have with darkness?+ 15  Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al?*+ Or what does a believer* share in common* with an unbeliever?+ 16  And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?+ For we are a temple of a living God;+ just as God said: “I will reside among them+ and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”+ 17  “‘Therefore, get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah,* ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’”;+ “‘and I will take you in.’”+ 18  “‘And I will become a father to you,+ and you will become sons and daughters to me,’+ says Jehovah,* the Almighty.”

Footnotes

Perhaps for defense.
Perhaps for offense.
Or “considered worthy of death.”
Or “disciplined.”
Or “have spoken openly.”
Or “cramped for room in.”
Or “you too widen out.”
Or “joined.”
Or “what share does a believer have.”
Or “a faithful person.”
From a Hebrew word meaning “Good for Nothing.” A reference to Satan.