| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. | 1As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. |
| 2For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. | 2For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. Paul’s Hardships |
| 3We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. | 3We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. |
| 4But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, | 4In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. |
| 5in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; | 5We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. |
| 6by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, | 6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. |
| 7by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, | 7We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. |
| 8by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; | 8We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. |
| 9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; | 9We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. |
| 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. | 10Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. |
| 11O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. | 11Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. |
| 12You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. | 12There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. |
| 13Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. | 13I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us! The Temple of the Living God |
| 14Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? | 14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? |
| 15And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? | 15What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? |
| 16And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” | 16And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. |
| 17Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” | 17Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. |
| 18“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” | 18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. ” |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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