1 We work with God. So we beg you, do not take Gods blessing and get nothing from it.

2 Because God has said. I heard you call at the right time. And I helped you in the day when I saved you. See, now is the right time. Now is the day to be saved.

3 We put nothing in anyones way. So no one can say our work is bad.

4 In every way we try to show that we are good servants of God. We do not give up when there is much trouble, and things go wrong, and things are hard.

5 We are being beaten and put in prison. We are being knocked around. We work hard. We are awake at night and we go hungry.

6 We help you with our knowledge and by living a clean life, with the help of the Spirit. We are patient and kind. We help you by the Holy Spirit. We have shown true love.

7 We have told you the truth with the power of God. These are the right things to use in our fight, and we have used them with both hands.

8 Some people respect us and some do not. Some give us a good name and some a bad name. Some people say we fool people and yet we tell the truth.

9 Many people do not know us, and yet many people know us very well. We almost die and yet we live. People give us much trouble but they do not kill us. We are very sad and yet always glad.

10 We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but really we have everything.

11 We talk plainly to you people in Corinth. We love you with all our hearts.

12 We have not stopped loving you, but you do not love us.

13 I say this as to my own children. You should love us with all your hearts. with those who do not believe. You and they are not equal. How can people who do right, work with those who do not obey God? How can light and darkness be in the same place?

14 How can Christ agree with Belial, the devil? How can a person who believes work with a person who does not believe?

15 Is there anything equal about a house of God and a house of idols? We are a house of the living God. God has said, I will live in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.

16 So the Lord says, Come away from among bad people. Stay away from them. Do not touch what is not clean. And I will receive you.

17 I will be your father. And you shall be my sons and daughters. The Lord who is ruler of all says that.

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