3In order that our service may not be brought into discredit, we avoid giving offence in anything. 4As God's servants, we try to recommend ourselves in all circumstances by our steadfast endurance: in distress, hardships and dire straits; 5flogged, imprisoned, mobbed; overworked, sleepless, starving. 6We recommend ourselves by the innocence of our behaviour, our grasp of truth, our patience and kindliness; by gifts of the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7by declaring the truth, by the power of God. We wield the weapons of righteousness in right hand and left. 8Honour and dishonour, praise and blame, are alike our lot: we are the impostors who speak the truth, 9the unknown men whom all men know; dying we still live on; disciplined by suffering, we are not done to death; 10in our sorrows we have always cause for joy; poor ourselves, we bring wealth to many; penniless, we own the world.
11Men of Corinth, we have spoken very frankly to you; we have opened our heart wide to you all. 12On our part there is no constraint; any constraint there may be is in yourselves. 13In fair exchange then (may a father speak so to his children?) open wide your hearts to us.
14DO NOT UNITE yourselves with unbelievers; they are no fit mates for you. What has righteousness to do with wickedness? Can light consort with darkness? 15Can Christ agree with Belial, or a believer join hands with an unbeliever? 16 [ Lv.26.12, Jr.32.38, Eze.37.27. ] Can there be a compact between the temple of God and the idols of the heathen? And the temple of the living God is what we are. God's own words are: 'I will live and move about among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.' 17 [ Is.52.11, Eze.20.34. ] And therefore, 'come away and leave them, separate yourselves, says the Lord; touch nothing unclean. 18 [ 2Sm.7.8-14, Is.43.6, Jr.31.9. ] Then I will accept you, says the Lord, the Ruler of all being; I will be a father is to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters.'
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