| 1 Being God’s helpers we beg you: let it not be in vain that you received this grace of God. | |
| 2 Scripture says: At the favorable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favorable time, this is the day of salvation. | |
| 3 We are concerned not to give anyone an occasion to stumble or criticize our mission. | |
| 4 Instead we prove we are true ministers of God in every way by our endurance in so many trials, in hardships, afflictions, | |
| 5 floggings, imprisonment, riots, fatigue, sleepless nights and days of hunger. | |
| 6 People can notice in our upright life, knowledge, patience and kindness, action of the Holy Spirit, sincere love, | |
| 7 words of truth and power of God. So we fight with the weapons of justice, to attack as well as to defend. | |
| 8 Sometimes we are honored, at other times insulted; we receive criticism as well as praise. We are regarded as liars although we speak the truth; | |
| 9 as unknown though we are well known; as dead and yet we live. Punishments come upon us but we have not, as yet, been put to death. | |
| 10 We appear to be afflicted, yet always joyful; we seem to be poor, but we enrich many; we have nothing, but we possess everything! | |
| 11 Corinthians! I have spoken to you frankly and I have uncovered my inner thought. | |
| 12 My heart is wide open to you, but you feel uneasy because of your closed heart: | |
| 13 repay us with the same measure — I speak to you as to my children — open wide your hearts also. | |
| 14 Do not make unsuitable covenants with those who do not believe: can justice walk with wickedness? Or can light coexist with darkness, | |
| 15 and can there be harmony between Christ and Satan? What union can there be between one who believes and one who does not believe? | |
| 16 God’s temple must have no room for idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As Scripture says; I will dwell and live in their midst, I will be their God and they shall be my people. | |
| 17 Therefore: Come out from their midst and separate from them, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean | |
| 18 and I will be gracious to you. I will be a father to you, that you may become my sons and daughters, says the all-powerful God. | |
