¹tWorking together with him, then, uwe appeal to you vnot to receive the grace of God in vain. ²For he says,

w“In a favorable time I listened to you,

and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, xnow is the yfavorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ³We zput no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ⁴but aas servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: bby great endurance, cin afflictions, dhardships, calamities, ⁵ebeatings, imprisonments, friots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ⁶gby purity, hknowledge, patience, kindness, ithe Holy Spirit, jgenuine love; ⁷by ktruthful speech, and lthe power of God; with mthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ⁸through honor and dishonor, nthrough slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; ⁹as unknown, and oyet well known; pas dying, and behold, we live; qas punished, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ras sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; sas poor, yet making many rich; tas having nothing, uyet possessing everything.

¹¹We have spoken freely to you,1 Corinthians; vour heart is wide open. ¹²You are not restricted by us, but wyou are restricted in your own affections. ¹³xIn return (I speak yas to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

¹⁴zDo not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For awhat partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or bwhat fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵cWhat accord has Christ with Belial?2 Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For dwe are the temple of the living God; as God said,

e“I will make my dwelling among them and fwalk among them,

and gI will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

¹⁷Therefore hgo out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

¹⁸iand I will be a father to you,

and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.”

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