1 And we co-operating with Him do also exhort you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:
2 for He saith, "I have heard thee in an acceptable time, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee." Behold now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation.
3 We give no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 but in every thing approving ourselves as the ministers of God; by much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits,
5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
6 by purity, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the holy Spirit,
7 by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, with the armour of righteousness on the right and on the left; through honor and dishonor,
8 through evil report and good report;
9 as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, but not put to death;
10 as sorrowing, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
11 O Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged:
12 ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13 Now as a return of our love (I speak as to my children) be ye also enlarged towards us.
14 Be not unsuitably connected with infidels: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness?
15 what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath a believer with an infidel?
16 and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and I will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
17 Wherefore, "come out from the midst of them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing," and I will receive you:
18 and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.