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1 Now working together with him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the favorable time. Look, now is the day of salvation.
3 We place nothing as a stumbling block in front of anyone, so that our ministry might not be discredited.
4 Instead, we commend ourselves in everything as God’ s servants; in great endurance, in affliction, in distress, in hardship,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in hard work, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; through the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left,
8 through honor and dishonor, through bad report and good report; as imposters, and yet true;
9 as being unknown, and yet well known; as dying and yet— see!— living; as being punished, and yet not being killed;
10 as being sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 Our mouth has been opened to you, Corinthians; our heart is opened wide.
12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your inward parts.
13 Now in fair exchange— I speak as to children— open yourselves wide also.
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what partnership does righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever?
16 And what agreement does the temple of God with idols have? 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 will be my people.”
17 Therefore, “Come out from among them, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing,” “and I will receive you.”
18 “And I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.
The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians