1As we work together with him, we also urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.
2For He says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and on a day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is the favorable time, and now is the day of salvation.
3We don’t do anything that would make someone stumble, so that our service will not be criticized.
4Instead, we prove ourselves to be servants of God in every way: through great endurance, in troubles, in hardships, and in difficult situations.
5We do this through beatings, prison, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger.
6We show it through purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, by the Holy Spirit, and with sincere love.
7We show it through speaking the truth, through the power of God, and with the weapons of righteousness for attack and defense.
8We show it through glory and dishonor, through bad reports and good reports. We are treated as deceivers, yet we are truthful.
9We are treated as unknown, yet we are well-known; as dying, yet look, we are alive; as punished, yet not killed.
10We are treated as sorrowful, yet always joyful; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
11We are open with you, Corinthians; our hearts are wide open.
12We have not restricted our affection for you, but you have restricted your affection for us.
13In return, I speak to you as my children: you should also open your hearts completely.
14Do not join yourselves to unbelievers, because what do goodness and evil have in common? What do light and darkness share?
15What agreement can Christ have with evil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
16What does God’s temple have in common with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live in them and move among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.'
17Therefore, 'Come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Do not touch anything unclean. Then I will receive you.'
18And, 'I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty.