6
1 So working together* we really urge you not to receive God's grace in vain, 2 for He says:
“At a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I aided you.”
Well, right now is a really favorable time; indeed, the day of salvation is now!†
What it costs to be Christ's ambassadors
3 (We give no occasion for offense in anything, that the ministry not be faulted; 4 rather we commend ourselves as God's servants in every way with great endurance—in afflictions, in hardships, in distress, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in hard work, in sleepless nights, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by truthful speech, by God's power, with the weapons of the righteousness in the right hand and in the left;‡ 8 through glory and dishonor, through defamation and good repute; as ‘deceivers’ and true, 9 as unknown and well known, as dying and we live on, as chastened and not killed; 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing everything!)§
An aside
11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is open wide. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to my children), you also be wide open.
Separation is a ‘must’
14 Do not enter a mismatch with unbelievers;* for what do righteousness and lawlessness have in common? And what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 And what agreement is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion can a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 Further, what agreement can a temple of God have with idols? Because you† are a temple of the living God, just as God said:
“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
I will be their God and they will by my people.”‡
17 Therefore,
“Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord,
“Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”§
18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”*
* 6:1 ‘Working together’ with whom? Presumably with other ambassadors, but also with God. † 6:2 See Isaiah 49:8. The ‘window’ of opportunity for any individual does not last forever. ‡ 6:7 Why right and left? A right-handed soldier would have a shield in his left hand, for defense, with a sword or spear in his right, for offense—our weapons are for both offense and defense. § 6:10 Well, well, well, there really ought to be an easier way to make a living! Well, it depends on what kind of living quarters you want in Heaven. When I get there I hope to see many individuals who can say to me, “You made me rich; thank you!”. * 6:14 This does not refer only to marriage, as the explanation that follows makes clear. † 6:16 Instead of “you”, perhaps 4% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘we’, to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc. ‡ 6:16 See Leviticus 26:12 and Ezekiel 37:27. § 6:17 See Isaiah 52:11 and Ezekiel 20:34. * 6:18 This appears to be an application based on several passages.