1 WE then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

1Wee then, as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine.

2(For he saith, I haue heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee: beholde, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of saluation)

3Giuing no offence in any thing, that the ministery be not blamed:

4But in all things approuing our selues, as the Ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

6By purenesse, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindnesse, by the holy Ghost, by loue vnfained,

7By the worde of trueth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousnesse, on the right hand, and on the left,

8By honour and dishonour, by euil report and good report, as deceiuers and yet true:

9As vnknowen, & yet wel knowen: as dying, and behold, we liue: as chastened, and not killed:

10As sorrowfull, yet alway reioycing: as poore, yet making many rich: as hauing nothing, and yet possessing all things.

11O yee Corinthians, our mouth is open vnto you, our heart is enlarged.

12Yee are not straitened in vs, but yee are straitned in your owne bowels.

13Nowe for a recompense in the same, (I speake as vnto my children) be ye also inlarged.

14Be ye not vnequally yoked together with vnbeleeuers: for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse? and what communion hath light with darknesse?

15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that beleeueth, with an infidel?

16And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idoles? for ye are the Temple of the liuing God, as God hath saide, I will dwell in them, and walke in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17Wherefore come out from among them, and bee yee separate, saieth the Lord, and touch not the vncleane thing, and I will receiue you,

18And will bee a Father vnto you, and ye shall bee my sonnes and daughters, saith the Lord Almightie.

 

1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: "In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love,

7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; 9 as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things. 11 We have spoken frankly to you, Corinthians; our heart is open wide. 12 You are not constrained by us; you are constrained by your own affections. 13 As recompense in kind (I speak as to my children), be open yourselves. 14 Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Beliar? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said: "I will live with them and move among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore, come forth from them and be separate," says the Lord, "and touch nothing unclean; then I will receive you 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."

v1. We are not just ambassadors, but workers together with God. Don’t continue in sin after reconciliation or His grace would appear to be in vain.
2. When God offers grace for salvation it should be accepted at once, Isa. 49:8.
3-10. Holy living is important so as not to hinder the ministry. It is possible to live holy before the Lord even in the difficult situations listed. Some of these may also be seen in unsaved, but love unfeigned, word of truth by the power of God and true righteousness are Christian virtues. The Gospel was new so they were called deceivers, v6, and were considered unknown, v7, or untrained. They were poor in this worlds goods, v10, but made many rich with eternal blessings.
v11-13.  Paul wants the Corinthians to also be separated from evil and to have a reciprocal love with him.
v14. The unequal yoke with unbelievers should be avoided in marriage and dating which leads to marriage. We must do business with them, but not be partners in business with them or worship with them. Many heart aches come from ignoring these.
v15-18. As Christ can not be in union with the devil, as temples of God we find ourselves at odds with many practices of the world. Unfortunately, some believers participate in the cocktail hour, gambling, abortion etc. and we may not recognize them as Christians. We should be separated both from the things contrary to God and unto the things of God Himself. To fail in this is to miss out on the close relationship suggested in v 18.
We should be separated from:
a. The desires, motives and acts of this present world system.
b. From false teachers.
c. From conformity to evils in the world or church.
This does not mean ultra separation from those with a only a slight difference in beliefs and practices or secondary separation from them. However anything which would require compromise should be avoided.