^aWorking together with Him, ^bwe strongly urge you not to receive ^cGod’s grace in vain by turning away from sound doctrine and His merciful kindness. 2 For He says,“^aAT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME (the time of grace) I LISTENED TO YOU,AND I HELPED YOU ON THE DAY OF SALVATION.”Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”— Is 49:8 3 ^awe put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but we ^acommend ourselves in every way as ^bservants of God: ^cin great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in ^abeatings, in imprisonments, in ^briots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in ^chunger, 6 in purity and sincerity, in ^aknowledge and spiritual insight, in ^bpatience, in kindness, in the ^cHoly Spirit, in ^dgenuine love, 7 in speaking ^athe word of truth, in ^bthe power of God; by ^cthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand like holding the sword to attack and for the left like holding the shield to defend, 8 amid glory and ^adishonor; by ^bevil report and good report; branded as ^cdeceivers and yet vindicated as ^dtruthful; 9 as unknown to the world, yet well-known by God and His people; as ^adying, yet ^bwe live; as punished, yet not killed; 10 as ^asorrowful, yet always ^brejoicing; as ^cpoor, yet bestowing riches on many; as ^dhaving nothing, yet possessing ^eall things.

11 ^aWe are speaking freely to you, Corinthians we are keeping nothing back, and our ^bheart is opened wide. Is 60:5; Ezek 33:22 12 There is no limit to our affection for you, but ^ayou are limited in your own affection for us. 13 Now in ^athe same way as a fair exchange for our love toward you—I am speaking as I would to ^bchildren—open wide your hearts to us also.

14 ^aDo not be unequally bound together with ^bunbelievers do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith. For what ^cpartnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What ^aharmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan) ? Or what does a ^bbeliever have in common with an ^cunbeliever? 16 ^aWhat agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are ^bthe temple of ^cthe living God; just as God said:“^dI WILL ^eDWELL AMONG THEM AND ^fWALK AMONG THEM;AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. Ex 25:8; 29:45; Lev 26:12; Jer 31:1; Ezek 37:27