• Their Ministry Commended

  • 1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—
  • 2 for He says, “At a favorable time I listened to you, And on a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”—
  • 3 giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
  • 4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties,
  • 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
  • 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
  • 7 in the word of truth, and in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
  • 8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
  • 9 as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold, we are alive; as punished and yet not put to death,
  • 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
  • 11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
  • 12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
  • 13 Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.
  • 14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness?
  • 15 Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer share with an unbeliever?
  • 16 Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell among 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; 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.