Paul’s Ministry

¹Now, since we are God’s coworkers, we beg you not to take God’s marvelous grace for granted, allowing it to have no effect on your lives .[#6:1 Or “not to receive God’s grace in vain.”]

²For he says,

I listened to you at the time of my favor.

And the day when you needed salvation,

I came to your aid.

So can’t you see? Now is the time to respond to his favor! Now is the day of salvation!

³We will not place obstacles in anyone’s way that hinder them from coming to salvation so that our ministry will not be discredited.[#6:3 Or “scandals that cause people to stumble.”]

⁴Yet, as God’s servants, we prove ourselves authentic in every way. For example :[#6:4 The Aramaic can be translated “reveals our inner souls.”]

We have great endurance in hardships and in persecutions. We don’t lose courage in a time of stress and calamity.

⁵We’ve been beaten many times, imprisoned, and found ourselves in the midst of riots. We’ve endured many troubles, had sleepless nights, and gone hungry.[#6:5 Or “labors.” The Aramaic can be translated “tortures.”; #6:5 Or “fastings.”]

⁶We have proved ourselves by our lifestyles of purity, by our spiritual insights, by our patience, and by showing kindness, by the Spirit of holiness and by our uncritical love for you.[#6:6 The Aramaic can be translated “love without scheming.”]

⁷We commend ourselves to you by our truthful teachings, by the power of God working through us , and with the mighty weapons of righteousness—a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.[#6:7 Or “the word of truth [Gr. logos ].”; #6:7 Or “armor.”; #6:7 Or “weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left.” By implication, this would mean a shield and a sword—every warrior’s weapons.]

⁸Amid honor or dishonor, slander or praise—even when we are treated as deceivers and imposters—we remain steadfast and true .[#6:8 The Aramaic can be translated “cursed” (by others).]

⁹We are unknown nobodies whom everyone knows. We are frequently at death’s door, yet here we are, still alive! We have been severely punished yet not executed.

¹⁰We may suffer, yet in every season we are always found rejoicing. We may be poor, yet we bestow great riches on many. We seem to have nothing, yet in reality we possess all things.[#6:10 As translated by the Aramaic.; #6:10 What an amazing list of characteristics of true apostolic ministry. These are the virtues that endeared Paul and his ministry companions to the churches and validated his authority as an example to them of God’s true servant.]

¹¹My friends at Corinth, our hearts are wide open to you and we speak freely, holding nothing back from you.

¹²If there is a block in our relationship, it is not with us, for we carry you in our hearts with great love, yet you still withhold your affections from us.[#6:12 Or “tender mercies.” Second Corinthians is Paul’s most intimate and descriptive letter. He writes of his inner feelings here more than in any other letter.]

¹³So I speak to you as our children. Make room in your hearts for us as we have done for you.

The Temple of the Living God

¹⁴Don’t continue to team up with unbelievers in mismatched alliances, for what partnership is there between righteousness and rebellion? Who could mingle light with darkness?[#6:14 Paul’s teaching here includes marital, business, and personal relationships. We never abandon our responsibility to reach the world ( 1 Cor. 5:9–10), but we must steer clear of relationships that will divide our loyalty to Christ.]

¹⁵What harmony can there be between Christ and Satan? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?[#6:15 Or “Belial” (the worthless one), a term for Satan.]

¹⁶What friendship does God’s temple have with demons? For indeed, we are the temple of the living God, just as God has said:[#6:16 The temple in Jerusalem was still standing when Paul wrote this.; #6:16 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “idols.”]

I will make my home in them and walk among them.

I will be their God, and they will be my people.

¹⁷For this reason,

“Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord.

“Touch nothing that is unclean, and I will embrace you.

¹⁸I will be a true Father to you,[#6:18 God himself will assume the role of caring for us and meeting our needs, giving himself eternally to us. See Ps. 103:18; Mal. 1:6.]

and you will be my beloved sons and daughters,”

says the Lord Yahweh Almighty.