1 AS God's fellow workers we also beg you not to receive his grace fruitlessly.

2 For he says, "At a favorable time I heard you and on a day of salvation I helped you." Now is a particularly favorable time, now is a day of salvation.

3 We give no occasion for stumbling to any one that our service may not be blamed,

4 but in everything we commend ourselves as God's servants in great patience, in distresses, in necessities, in hardships,

5 in floggings, in prisons, in riots, in toils, in sleepless nights, in fastings,

6 with purity, with knowledge, with long-suffering, with kindness, with the Holy Spirit, with sincere love,

7 with the message of truth, with the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and the left,

8 by honor and shame, by slander and praise; as deceivers yet true,

9 as unknown yet well known, as dying and yet we are living, as chastised yet not put to death,

10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet owning all things.

11 Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians, our heart expands itself.

12 You find no narrowness in us, the narrowness is in your own sympathies.

13 As a fair return, I am speaking as to my children, let your hearts expand.

14 Do not be yoked up, like unmatched animals, with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness,

15 or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what share has a believer with an unbeliever?

16 What agreement has the Temple of God with idols? For we are the Temple of the living God, as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

17 Therefore come out from the midst of them and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch an unclean thing, and I will receive you

18 and will be a Father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord, the Ruler of all."