Paul’s Hardships and God’s Grace

1And we co-operating with Him do also exhort you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:

2for 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.

3We give no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4but in every thing approving ourselves as the ministers of God; by much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits, 5in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; 6by purity, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the holy Spirit, 7by 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, 8through evil report and good report; 9as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, but not put to death; 10as sorrowing, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.

11O Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged: 12ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13Now as a return of our love (I speak as to my children) be ye also enlarged towards us.

Do Not Be Unequally Yoked

14Be not unsuitably connected with infidels: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness? 15what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath a believer 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 I will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

17Wherefore, "come out from the midst of them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing," and I will receive you:

18and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.