New International Version | Christian Standard Bible |
1As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. | 1Working together with him, we also appeal to you, "Don't receive the grace of God in vain." |
2For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. | 2For he says: At an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! |
3We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. | 3We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. |
4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; | 4Instead, as God's ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, |
5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; | 5by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, |
6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; | 6by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, |
7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; | 7by the word of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, |
8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; | 8through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; |
9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; | 9as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see--we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; |
10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; 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, and opened wide our hearts to you. | 11We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. |
12We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. | 12We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. |
13As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also. | 13I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us. |
14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? | 14Don't 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? |
15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? | 15What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? |
16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." | 16And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. |
17Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive 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 Lord Almighty." | 18And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. |
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
|