2 Corinthians 6
New
International Version - UK (NIVUK)
6 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive
God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is
the day of salvation.
Paul’s
hardships
3 We put no stumbling-block in anyone’s path, so that
our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as
servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in
troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings,
imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in
purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere
love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through
glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as
impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,
and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful,
yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet
possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and
opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not
withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As
a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts
also.
Warning
against idolatry
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what
do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light
have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there
between Christ and Belial[b]? Or what does a believer have in
common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is
there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living
God.
As God has said:
‘I
will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.’[c]
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.’[c]
17 Therefore,
‘Come
out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.’[d]
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.’[d]
18 And,
Footnotes:
a.
2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
b.
2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar,
a variant of Belial
c.
2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer.
32:38; Ezek. 37:27
d.
2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11;
Ezek. 20:34,41
e.
2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
f.
The Bible Panorama
2 Corinthians 6
V 1–2: PLEADING PREACHERS Christian workers plead with people to accept
God’s grace immediately and be saved.
V 3–10: TRANSPARENT TESTIMONY The
lifestyle of those serving God is to be transparent and spiritually minded.
Their testimony, in the face of much hardship and opposition, should reflect
God-enabled blamelessness, patience, perseverance, purity, knowledge,
longsuffering, sacrifice, kindness, love, truthfulness, power, consistency,
rejoicing, self-giving, generosity and contentment.
V 11–16:
SCRIPTURAL SEPARATION Paul appeals
for open hearts and states it is illogical, inconsistent and unscriptural to
compromise with worldliness and ungodliness. Christians are to walk with God,
who indwells them, and this calls for clear separation from unbelievers in
things that are doubtful or inconsistent. In this way they will have a clean
walk with God.
V 17–18:
FATHER’S FAMILY As His
children come out from uncleanness to separation, their Father calls them all
to experience the blessings of being sons and daughters of ‘the Lord Almighty’.
Their separation is in two parts—from sin and to God. Only in that way can the
family likeness be noticed!
The Bible
Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.
