2 Corinthians 6-7
New American Standard Bible
2for He says, 'AT A FAVORABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON A DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.' Behold, now is 'A FAVORABLE TIME,' behold, now is 'A DAY OF SALVATION'—
3giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties,
5in beatings, in imprisonments, in mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7in the word of truth, and in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold, we are alive; as punished and yet not put to death,
10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
11Our mouth has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
12You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
13Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.
14Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness?
15Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I WILL DWELL AMONG THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR God, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
17Therefore, 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 a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,' Says the Lord Almighty.
2Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.
3I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
4My confidence in you is great; my boasting in your behalf is great. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
5For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts on the outside, fears inside.
6But God, who comforts the discouraged, comforted us by the arrival of Titus;
7and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted among you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
8For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it— for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—
9I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
10For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
11For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
12So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness in our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.
13Because of this, we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
14For if I have boasted to him about you regarding anything, I was not put to shame. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth.
15His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
16I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.
King James Version
Chapter 6
1We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
12Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16And 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 walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Chapter 7
1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 3I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. 4Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
5For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
6Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
8For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
13Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 6
1Working together with him, we also appeal to you, "Don't receive the grace of God in vain."
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, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger,
6by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7by the word of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8through glory 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; 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.
14Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
15What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
16And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said:I will dwelland walk among them,and I will be their God,and they will be my people.
17Therefore, come out from among themand be separate, says the Lord;do not touch any unclean thing,and I will welcome you.
18And I will be a Father to you,and you will be sons and daughters to me,says the Lord Almighty.
2Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, corrupted no one, taken advantage of no one.
3I don't say this to condemn you, since I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
4I am very frank with you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in all our afflictions.
5In fact, when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts on the outside, fears within.
6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
7and not only by his arrival but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
8For even if I grieved you with my letter, I don't regret it. And if I regretted it--since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a while--
9I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn't experience any loss from us.
10For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.
11For consider how much diligence this very thing--this grieving as God wills--has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter.
12So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your devotion to us might be made plain to you in the sight of God.
13For this reason we have been comforted.In addition to our own comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titus had, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.
14For if I have made any boast to him about you, I have not been disappointed; but as I have spoken everything to you in truth, so our boasting to Titus has also turned out to be the truth.
15And his affection toward you is even greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you, and how you received him with fear and trembling.
16I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you.
New Living Translation
3We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry.
4In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.
5We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.
6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere 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.
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.
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.
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.
11Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you.
12There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us.
13I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!
14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
15What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner 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.
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.
18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. '
2Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken advantage of anyone.
3I’m not saying this to condemn you. I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you.
4I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.
5When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside.
6But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.
7His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!
8I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.
9Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.
10For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
11Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.
12My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us.
13We have been greatly encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease.
14I had told him how proud I was of you — and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true!
15Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect.
16I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.
English Standard Version
Chapter 6
1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;
7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open.
12You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.
13In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
18and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
2Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.
3I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
4I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.
5For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within.
6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.
8For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while.
9As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
10For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
11For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
12So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.
13Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
14For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true.
15And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
16I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.
New International Version
3We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;
10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.
12We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.
13As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also.
14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
2Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.
3I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you.
4I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within.
6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while--
9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
12So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.
13By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
14I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
15And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling.
16I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.