1 In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted. 2 Hear what God says:
“When the time came for me to show you favor,
I heard you;
when the day arrived for me to save you,
I helped you.”
Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!
3 We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way. 4 Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. 5 We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. 6 By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God's servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, 7 by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. 8 We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; 9 as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; 10 although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.
11 Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide. 12 It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us. 13 I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!
Warning against Pagan Influences
14 Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together? 15 How can Christ and the Devil agree? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 How can God's temple come to terms with pagan idols? For we are the temple of the living God! As God himself has said,
“I will make my home with my people
and live among them;
I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.”
17 And so the Lord says,
“You must leave them
and separate yourselves from them.
Have nothing to do with what is unclean,
and I will accept you.
18 I will be your father,
and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
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.
