| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1As God’s fellow workers, then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. | 1Working together with Him, we also appeal to you, "Don't receive God's grace in vain." |
| 2For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation! | 2For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation. |
| 3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry. | 3We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. |
| 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; | 4But as God's ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardship, by difficulties, |
| 5in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger; | 5by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, |
| 6in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; | 6by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, |
| 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; | 7by the message of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness on the right hand and the left, |
| 8through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; | 8through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; as deceivers yet true; |
| 9as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; | 9as unknown yet recognized; as dying and look--we live; as being disciplined yet not killed; |
| 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. | 10as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything. |
| 11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide. | 11We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. |
| 12It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained. | 12You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections. |
| 13As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also. | 13I speak as to my children. As a proper response, you should also be open to us. |
| 14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? | 14Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? |
| 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? | 15What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? |
| 16What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” | 16And what agreement does God's sanctuary have with idols? For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said: I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. |
| 17“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” | 17Therefore, come out from among them and 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 My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” | 18I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. |
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