1 tMark 16:20; 1 Cor. 3:9; [Acts 15:4] Working together with him, then,uch. 5:20 we appeal to youv[Heb. 12:15] not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For he says,
wCited from Isa. 49:8 “In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you. ” Behold,x[Ps. 32:6; 69:13; Isa. 55:6; Heb. 3:13] now is they[Luke 4:19] favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 WezSee 1 Cor. 8:13; 9:12 put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
4 buta[1 Thess. 3:2; 2 Tim. 2:24, 25]; See ch. 3:6 as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:bch. 12:12; 2 Tim. 3:10 by great endurance,cActs 9:16 in afflictions,dch. 12:10 hardships, calamities,
5 ech. 11:23-27; Acts 16:23 beatings, imprisonments,fActs 17:5 riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
6 g1 Thess. 2:10 by purity,hch. 11:6 knowledge, patience, kindness,iRom. 15:19; 1 Thess. 1:5 the Holy Spirit,jRom. 12:9; [James 3:17] genuine love;
7 bykEph. 1:13; Col. 1:5 truthful speech, andlSee 1 Cor. 2:5 the power of God; withmch. 10:4; Eph. 6:11-17 the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
8 through honor and dishonor,nRom. 3:8 through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
9 as unknown, ando[ch. 11:6] yet well known;pSee ch. 4:10 as dying, and behold, we live;qPs. 118:18 as punished, and yet not killed;
10 rJohn 16:22; [ch. 7:4] as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;s[ch. 8:9; Prov. 13:7; 1 Cor. 1:5] as poor, yet making many rich;tActs 3:6 as having nothing,u1 Cor. 7:30 yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians;vch. 7:3; [ch. 11:11; 12:15; Ps. 119:32] our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, butwch. 7:2 you are restricted in your own affections. 13 x[Gal. 4:12] In return (I speaky1 Cor. 4:14 as to children) widen your hearts also.
14 zDeut. 7:3; Josh. 23:12; Ezra 9:2; Neh. 13:25; [1 Cor. 7:39] Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. ForaEph. 5:7, 11; 1 John 1:6 what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? OrbSee Acts 26:18 what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 c[1 Cor. 10:21] What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? Ford[Eph. 2:22]; See 1 Cor. 3:16 we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
eCited from Lev. 26:12; See Ex. 29:45 “I will make my dwelling among them andf[Rev. 2:1; 21:3] walk among them,
andgEx. 6:7; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 11:20 I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 ThereforehCited from Isa. 52:11; [ch. 7:1; Ezek. 20:34, 41; Zeph. 3:20; Rev. 18:4] go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 i[Ex. 4:22; 2 Sam. 7:8, 14; Isa. 43:6; Jer. 31:9; Hos. 1:10; Rev. 21:7] and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty. ”