God’s Suffering Servants

1Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 3We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 4But as God’s servants, we have commended ourselves in every way, with great endurance, in persecutions, in difficulties, in distresses, 5in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, by genuine love, 7by truthful teaching, by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, 8through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and yet true; 9as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet – see! – we continue to live; as those who are scourged and yet not executed; 10as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 12Our affection for you is not restricted, but you are restricted in your affections for us. 13Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts to us also.

Unequal Partners

14Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 16And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, 18and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.