New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
1As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. | 1And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain-- |
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 | 2for He says, "AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU." Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION "-- |
3We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. | 3giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, |
4In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. | 4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, |
5We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. | 5in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, |
6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. | 6in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, |
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. | 7in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, |
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. | 8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; |
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. | 9as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, |
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. | 10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. |
11Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. | 11Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. |
12There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. | 12You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. |
13I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us! The Temple of the Living God | 13Now in a like exchange-- I speak as to children-- open wide to us also. |
14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? | 14Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? |
15What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? | 15Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? |
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. | 16Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. |
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. | 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. |
18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. ” | 18"And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. |
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. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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