| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. | 1Working together with Him, we also appeal to you, "Don't receive God's grace in vain." |
| 2For he says, "I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! | 2For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation. |
| 3We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. | 3We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. |
| 4But as God's servants, we have commended ourselves in every way, with great endurance, in persecutions, in difficulties, in distresses, | 4But as God's ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardship, by difficulties, |
| 5in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in hunger, | 5by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, |
| 6by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, by genuine love, | 6by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, |
| 7by truthful teaching, by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, | 7by the message of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness on the right hand and the left, |
| 8through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and yet true; | 8through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; as deceivers yet true; |
| 9as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet--see!--we continue to live; as those who are scourged and yet not executed; | 9as unknown yet recognized; as dying and look--we live; as being disciplined yet not killed; |
| 10as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. | 10as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything. |
| 11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. | 11We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. |
| 12Our affection for you is not restricted, but you are restricted in your affections for us. | 12You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections. |
| 13Now as a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts to us also. | 13I speak as to my children. As a proper response, you should also be open to us. |
| 14Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? | 14Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? |
| 15And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? | 15What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? |
| 16And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, "I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." | 16And what agreement does God's sanctuary have with idols? For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said: I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. |
| 17Therefore "come out from their midst, and be separate," says the Lord, "and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, | 17Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. |
| 18and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the All-Powerful Lord. | 18I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. |
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