1 We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's gift of undeserved grace. 2 In the Scriptures God says,
“When the time came,
I listened to you,
and when you needed help,
I came to save you.”
That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved.
3 We don't want anyone to find fault with our work, and so we try hard not to cause problems. 4 But in everything and in every way we show we truly are God's servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times. 5 We have been beaten, put in jail, and hurt in riots. We have worked hard and have gone without sleep or food. 6 But we have kept ourselves pure and have been understanding, patient, and kind. The Holy Spirit has been with us, and our love has been real. 7 We have spoken the truth, and God's power has worked in us. In all our struggles we have said and done only what is right.
8 Whether we were honored or dishonored or praised or cursed, we always told the truth about ourselves. But some people said we did not. 9 We are unknown to others, but well known to you. We seem to be dying, and yet we are still alive. We have been punished, but never killed, 10 and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours.
11 Friends in Corinth, we are telling the truth when we say there is room in our hearts for you. 12 We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us. 13 I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
The Temple of the Living God
14 Stay away from people who are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same? 15 Is Christ a friend of Satan? Can people who follow the Lord have anything in common with those who don't? 16 Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says,
“I will live with these people
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be
my people.”
17 The Lord also says,
“Leave them and stay away!
Don't touch anything
that isn't clean.
Then I will welcome you
18 and be your Father.
You will be my sons
and my daughters,
as surely as I am God,
the All-Powerful.”
Kalpošanas grūtības
1 Mēs, viņam līdzi darbodamies, aicinām jūs nebūt tādiem, kas velti saņēmuši Dieva žēlastību. 2 Jo viņš saka:
savas labvēlības laikā es tevi uzklausīju
un glābšanas dienā es nācu tev palīgā.
Redzi, tagad ir Dieva labvēlības laiks, redzi, tagad ir glābšanas diena. 3 Mēs nekur neesam par iemeslu piedauzībai, lai mūsu kalpošana nesaņemtu pārmetumus, 4 bet visur parādām sevi kā Dieva kalpus ar lielu izturību ciešanās, trūkumā un bezizejā, 5 zem sitieniem, cietumos, nemieros un smagā darbā, bez miega un bez ēdiena, 6 šķīstībā, ticības atziņā, pacietībā un krietnumā, Svētajā Garā un neliekuļotā mīlestībā, 7 patiesības vārdā un Dieva spēkā ar taisnības ieročiem gan labajā, gan kreisajā rokā, 8 ar pagodinājumu un apkaunojumu, ar apmelojumiem un slavinājumiem, kā tādi, kas maldina, tomēr ir patiesi, 9 kā nepazīstami, tomēr labi zināmi, kā mirēji, bet redzi – vēl aizvien esam dzīvi, kā pārmācībai pakļauti, bet nenogalināmi, 10 kā nobēdājušies, bet vienmēr priecīgi, kā nabagi, bet kas daudzus dara bagātus, kā tādi, kam nav nekā, bet kam ir viss. 11 Mēs ar jums, korintieši, runājam atklāti, mūsu sirds ir plaši atvērta. 12 Mūsu sirdīs nav šaursirdības pret jums, bet šaurība ir jūsu sirdīs. 13 Kā bērniem es jums saku: atlīdziniet mums ar to pašu – plaši atveriet savas sirdis arī jūs.
Nevelciet svešu jūgu kopā ar neticīgajiem
14 Neejiet nesaderīgā jūgā kopā ar neticīgajiem: kas gan kopīgs taisnībai un ļaundarībai, kas kopīgs gaismai ar tumsu? 15 Kāda var būt saskaņa Kristum ar Beliaru, kas dalāms ticīgam ar neticīgu? 16 Kāda var būt vienošanās starp Dieva templi un elkiem? Mēs esam dzīvā Dieva templis; kā saka Dievs:
es iemājošu viņos un dzīvošu viņu vidū,
es būšu viņu Dievs, un viņi būs mana tauta.
17 Tādēļ izejiet no viņu vidus
un nošķirieties no viņiem, saka Kungs;
nekam nešķīstītam nepieskarieties;
un es jūs pieņemšu.
18 Tad es būšu jums par tēvu,
un jūs būsiet man par dēliem un meitām,
saka Kungs, Visuvaldītājs.
