¹ As his fellow-workers, we urge you not to let your acceptance of his grace come to nothing.

² As he said, 'At the time of my favour I have answered you; on the day of salvation I have helped you'; well, now is the real time of favour, now the day of salvation is here.

³ We avoid putting obstacles in anyone's way, so that no blame may attach to our work of service;

⁴ but in everything we prove ourselves authentic servants of God; by resolute perseverance in times of hardships, difficulties and distress;

⁵ when we are flogged or sent to prison or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving;

⁶ in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness; in the Holy Spirit, in a love free of affectation;

⁷ in the word of truth and in the power of God; by using the weapons of uprightness for attack and for defence:

⁸ in times of honour or disgrace, blame or praise; taken for impostors and yet we are genuine;

⁹ unknown and yet we are acknowledged; dying, and yet here we are, alive; scourged but not executed;

¹⁰ in pain yet always full of joy; poor and yet making many people rich; having nothing, and yet owning everything.

¹¹ People of Corinth, we have spoken frankly and opened our heart to you.

¹² Any distress you feel is not on our side; the distress is in your own selves.

¹³ In fair exchange -- I speak as though to children of mine -- you must open your hearts too.

¹⁴ Do not harness yourselves in an uneven team with unbelievers; how can uprightness and law-breaking be partners, or what can light and darkness have in common?

¹⁵ How can Christ come to an agreement with Beliar and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever?

¹⁶ The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are -- the temple of the living God. We have God's word for it: I shall fix my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people.

¹⁷ Get away from them, purify yourselves, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean, and then I shall welcome you.

¹⁸ I shall be father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the almighty Lord.