New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. | 1Since, then, we are working with God, we plead with you not to accept God's grace in vain. |
2For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. Paul’s Hardships | 2For he says, "At the right time I heard you, and on a day of salvation I helped you." Listen, now is really the "right time"! Now is the "day of salvation"! |
3We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. | 3We do not put an obstacle in anyone's way. Otherwise, fault may be found 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. | 4Instead, in every way we demonstrate that we are God's servants by tremendous endurance in the midst of difficulties, hardships, and calamities; |
5We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. | 5in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger; |
6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. | 6with purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; with the Holy Spirit, genuine 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. | 7truthful speech, and divine power; through the weapons of righteousness in the right and left hands; |
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. | 8through honor and dishonor; through ill repute and good repute; perceived as deceivers and yet true, |
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. | 9as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet—as you see—very much alive, as punished and yet not 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. | 10as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing, as poor and yet enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing everything. |
11Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. | 11We have spoken frankly to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are wide open. |
12There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. | 12We have not cut you off, but you have cut off your own feelings toward us. |
13I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us! The Temple of the Living God | 13Do us a favor—I ask you as my children—and open wide your hearts. |
14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? | 14Stop becoming unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? |
15What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? | 15What harmony exists between the Messiah and Beliar, or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common? |
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. | 16What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: "I will live 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. | 17Therefore, "Get away from them and separate yourselves from them," declares the Lord, "and don't touch anything unclean. Then I will welcome you. |
18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. ” | 18I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters," declares the Lord Almighty. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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