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As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.
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For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvatioin
I heard you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
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We put no stumbling block in anyone's path,
so that our ministry will not br discredited.
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Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
inngreat endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
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in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
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in purity, understanding, patience and kindness, in tyhe Holy Spirit
and in sincere love;
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in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness
in the right hand and in the left;
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through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as imposters;
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known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
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sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making mant rich;
having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
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We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians,
and opened wide our hearts to you.
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We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding
yours from us.
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As a fair exchange - I speak as to my children - open wide your hearts also.
14
Do not be yoked togeter with unbelievers.
For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
Or what fellowshipcan light have with darkness?
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What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
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What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God,
and they will be my people."
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"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
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"I will be a Father to you, and you will be
my sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty."