³We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. ⁴Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, ⁵by beatings, by imprisonments,^c by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, ⁶by purity,^d by knowledge,^e by patience,^f by kindness,^g by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,^h ⁷by the word of truth,^Fⁱ by the power of God;^j through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸through glory^k and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; ⁹as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; ¹⁰as grieving, yet always rejoicing;^l as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. 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. ¹³I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.

SEPARATION TO GOD

¹⁴Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?^m Or what fellowship does lightⁿ have with darkness?^o ¹⁵What agreement does Christ have with Belial?^A Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols?^p For we^B are the temple of the living God, as God said:

I will dwell^q

and walk among them,

and I will be their God,^r

and they will be my people.^C^s

¹⁷Therefore, come out from among them

and be separate, says the Lord;

do not touch any unclean thing,

and I will welcome you.^D^t

¹⁸And I will be a Father^u to you,

and you will be sons^v and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.^E^w

Read in Logos

Footnotes

FOr by truthful speech
AOr Beliar
BOther read you

Cross references

E Is 49:8
a Is 49:8
b Is 49:8; 55:6; Lk 4:19; Heb 3:13
c Jdg 16:21
d 2Co 11:3
e Php 3:8; 1Jn 4:8
f Ex 34:6; 2Tm 3:10
g Rm 2:4; 3:12; 11:22; Gl 5:22; Eph 2:7; Col 3:12; Ti 3:4
h 1Co 13:1
i 2Th 2:10
j Mk 5:30; Lk 1:35; 6:19; Ac 19:11; 2Co 13:4; Rv 11:17
k 1Pt 5:4
l Mt 5:4; Jn 16:22; 2Co 7:4; Php 1:4,25; 2:17–18; 3:1; 4:1,4; Col 1:24; 1Th 1:6; 1Pt 1:6–8
m Mt 13:41
n Jn 12:46
o Mt 6:23
p Gn 31:19; 1Co 8:4
q Jms 4:5
r Heb 3:6
C Lv 26:12; Jr 31:33; 32:38; Ezk 37:26
s Lv 26:12
D Is 52:11
t Is 52:11
u Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42; Eph 5:20
v Mt 5:9
E 2Sm 7:14; Is 43:6; 49:22; 60:4; Hs 1:10
w 2Sm 7:14; Rv 1:8