1 But, as a help to you, we exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: “In a favorable time, I heeded you; and on the day of salvation, I helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 May we never give offense to anyone, so that our ministry may not be disparaged. 4 But in all things, let us exhibit ourselves as ministers of God with great patience: through tribulation, difficulties, and distress; 5 despite wounds, imprisonment, and rebellion; with hard work, vigilance, and fasting; 6 by chastity, knowledge, and longsuffering; in pleasantness, in the Holy Spirit, and in unfeigned charity; 7 with the Word of truth, with the power of God, and with the armor of justice to the right and to the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, despite good reports and bad, whether seen as deceivers or truth-tellers, whether ignored or acknowledged; 9 as if dying and yet truly alive; as if chastised and yet not subdued; 10 as if sorrowful and yet always rejoicing; as if needy and yet enriching many; as if having nothing and possessing everything. 11 Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians; our heart is enlarged. 12 You are not narrowed by us, but it is by your own inner selves that you are narrowed. 13 But since we have the same recompense, (I am speaking as if to my own sons), you, too, should be enlarged. 14 Do not choose to bear the yoke with unbelievers. For how can justice be a participant with iniquity? Or how can the fellowship of light be a participant with darkness? 15 And how can Christ join together with Belial? Or what part do the faithful have with the unfaithful? 16 And what consensus does the temple of God have with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, just as God says: “I will dwell with them, and I will walk among them. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Because of this, you must depart from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean. 18 Then I will accept you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians · Catholic Public Domain Version
2 Corinthians 6 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 12:15; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 1 Peter 4:10; Galatians 2:21; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20
- 2 Isaiah 49:8; Hebrews 4:7; Hebrews 3:13; Isaiah 61:2; Hebrews 3:7
- 3 Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Corinthians 9:22; Matthew 18:6; 1 Corinthians 10:32–33
- 4 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 11:27; 1 Corinthians 4:11–12; Romans 8:35–36
- 5 2 Corinthians 11:23–25; 2 Corinthians 11:27; Hebrews 11:36; Acts 19:23–34; Acts 17:5
- 6 Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 1:27; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 2:4
- 7 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; 2 Timothy 2:15; Ephesians 6:11–20; Ephesians 3:20
- 8 Matthew 27:63; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 Timothy 4:10; Acts 28:22; Revelation 3:9
- 9 2 Corinthians 4:10–11; Romans 8:36; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; 2 Corinthians 11:6
- 10 John 16:22; 2 Corinthians 8:9; James 2:5; Revelation 2:9; Hebrews 10:34
- 11 Psalm 119:32; 2 Corinthians 7:3–4; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Philippians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 2:4
- 12 2 Corinthians 7:2; Micah 2:7; Philippians 1:8; Job 36:16; 1 John 3:17
- 13 1 John 3:18; 3 John 4; 1 Corinthians 4:14–15; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 2:1
- 14 1 Corinthians 15:33; 1 Corinthians 10:21; James 4:4; Ephesians 5:6–14; Leviticus 19:19
- 15 1 Corinthians 10:20–21; 1 John 5:11–13; 1 Kings 18:21; 1 Samuel 5:2–4; Ezra 4:3
- 16 Revelation 21:3; Exodus 29:45; Hebrews 8:10; Leviticus 26:12; Ezekiel 37:26–27
- 17 Isaiah 52:11; Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Psalm 1:1–3; Numbers 16:26
- 18 Revelation 21:7; John 1:12; 2 Samuel 7:14; Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:5–7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For since he said, God beseeches, and we are ambassadors and suppliants unto you, that ye be "reconciled unto God:" lest they should become supine, he hereby again alarms and arouses them, saying: "We intreat that ye receive not the grace of God in vain." For let us not,' he says, therefore be at ease, because He beseeches and hath …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
… or how wide it spreads, than he that measures it and counts all its branches, and neither owns it nor knows or loves its Creator; so a just man, whose is the entire world of wealth, and who, as having nothing, yet possesseth all things by cleaving unto Thee, to whom all things are subservient, though he know not even …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" And while the children of heathens, who know nothing of resurrection, do yet find words of consolation, saying, "Bear it manfully, for it is not possible to undo what hath taken place, nor to amend it by lamentations;" art not thou, who hearest sayings wiser and better than these, ashamed …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
The present is the season of confession: confess what thou hast done in word or in deed, by night or by day; confess in an acceptable time, and in the day of salvation receive the heavenly treasure.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… through communion with Himself to incorruption), and when moreover, through the transgression of the command we had confused and obliterated the marks of the divine image, and had become evil, we were stripped of our communion with God (for what communion hath light with darkness?): and having been shut out from life we became subject to the corruption of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)