1We work together with God. So we are asking you not to receive God’s grace and then do nothing with it. 2He says,
“When I had mercy on you, I heard you.
On the day I saved you, I helped you.” (Isaiah 49:8)
I tell you, now is the time God has mercy. Now is the day he saves.
Paul’s Sufferings
3We don’t put anything in anyone’s way. So no one can find fault with our work for God. 4Instead, we make it clear that we serve God in every way. We serve him by standing firm in troubles, hard times and suffering. 5We don’t give up when we are beaten or put in prison. When people stir up trouble in the streets, we continue to serve God. We work hard for him. We go without sleep and food. 6We remain pure. We understand completely what it means to serve God. We are patient and kind. We serve him in the power of the Holy Spirit. We serve him with true love. 7We speak the truth. We serve in the power of God. We hold the weapons of godliness in the right hand and in the left. 8We serve God in times of glory and shame. We serve him whether the news about us is bad or good. We are true to our calling. But people treat us as if we were pretenders. 9We are known, but people treat us as if we were unknown. We are dying, but we continue to live. We are beaten, but we are not killed. 10We are sad, but we are always full of joy. We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but we own everything.
11Believers at Corinth, we have spoken freely to you. We have opened our hearts wide to you. 12We are not holding back our love from you. But you are holding back your love from us. 13I speak to you as if you were my children. It is only fair that you open your hearts wide to us also.
Paul Warns Against Worshiping False Gods
14Do not be joined to unbelievers. What do right and wrong have in common? Can light and darkness be friends? 15How can Christ and Satan agree? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16How can the temple of the true God and the statues of other gods agree? We are the temple of the living God. God has said,
“I will live with them.
I will walk among them.
I will be their God.
And they will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27)
17So,
“Come out from among them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Do not touch anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’
Then I will receive you.” (Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41)
18And,
“I will be your Father.
You will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord who rules over all.” (2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8)
1Gẹ́gẹ́ bí alábáṣiṣẹ́pọ̀ nínú Ọlọ́run, ǹjẹ́, àwa ń rọ̀ yín kí ẹ má ṣe gba oore-ọ̀fẹ́ Ọlọ́run lásán. 26.2: Isa 49.8.Nítorí o wí pé,
“Ní àkókò ìtẹ́wọ́gbà mi, èmi tí gbọ́ ohùn rẹ,
àti ọjọ́ ìgbàlà, èmi sì ti ràn ọ́ lọ́wọ́.”
Èmi wí fún ọ, nísinsin yìí ní àkókò ìtẹ́wọ́gbà, nísinsin yìí ni ọjọ́ ìgbàlà.
Àwọn wàhálà Paulu
3Àwa kò sì gbé ohun ìkọ̀sẹ̀ kankan si ọ̀nà ẹnikẹ́ni, ki iṣẹ́ ìránṣẹ́ wa má ṣe di ìṣọ̀rọ̀-òdì-sí. 46.4: 2Kọ 4.8-11; 11.23-27.Ṣùgbọ́n dípò bẹ́ẹ̀, ni ọnà gbogbo, àwa ń fi ara wa hàn bí àwọn ìránṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run nínú ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ sùúrù, nínú ìpọ́njú, nínú àìní, nínú wàhálà, 56.5: Ap 16.23.nípa nínà, nínú túbú, nínú ìrúkèrúdò, nínú iṣẹ́ àṣekára, nínú àìsàn, nínú ìgbààwẹ̀. 6Nínú ìwà mímọ́, nínú ìmọ̀, nínú ìpamọ́ra, nínú ìṣeun, nínú Ẹ̀mí Mímọ́, nínú ìfẹ́ àìṣẹ̀tàn. 76.7: 2Kọ 10.4; Ro 13.12; Ef 6.11-12.Nínú ọ̀rọ̀ òtítọ́, nínú agbára Ọlọ́run, nínú ìhámọ́ra òdodo ní apá ọ̀tún àti ní apá òsì. 8Nípa ọlá àti ẹ̀gàn, nípa ìyìn búburú àti ìhìnrere: bí ẹlẹ́tàn, ṣùgbọ́n a jásí olóòtítọ́, 96.9: Ro 8.36.bí ẹni tí a kò mọ̀, ṣùgbọ́n a mọ̀ wá dájúdájú; bí ẹni tí ń kú lọ, ṣùgbọ́n a ṣì wà láààyè; bí ẹni tí a nà, ṣùgbọ́n a kò sì pa wá, 106.10: Ro 8.32; 1Kọ 3.21.bí ẹni tí ó kún fún ìbànújẹ́, ṣùgbọ́n àwa ń yọ̀ nígbà gbogbo; bí tálákà, ṣùgbọ́n àwa ń sọ ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ dí ọlọ́rọ̀; bí ẹni tí kò ní nǹkan, ṣùgbọ́n àwa ni ohun gbogbo.
116.11: El 33.22; Isa 60.5.Ẹ̀yin ará Kọrinti, a ti bá yín sọ òtítọ́ ọ̀rọ̀, a ṣí ọkàn wa páyà sí yín. 12Àwa kò fa ìfẹ́ wa sẹ́hìn fún yín, ṣùgbọ́n ẹ̀yin fa ìfẹ́ yín sẹ́hìn kúrò lọ́dọ̀ wa. 13Ní sísán padà, ní ọ̀nà tí ó dára, èmi ń sọ bí ẹni pé fún àwọn ọmọdé, ẹ̀yin náà ẹ ṣí ọkàn yín páyà pẹ̀lú.
Má ṣe dàpọ̀ pẹ̀lú àwọn aláìgbàgbọ́
14Ẹ má ṣe fi àìdọ́gba dàpọ̀ pẹ̀lú àwọn aláìgbàgbọ́: nítorí ìdàpọ̀ kín ni òdodo ní pẹ̀lú àìṣòdodo? Ìdàpọ̀ kín ni ìmọ́lẹ̀ sì ní pẹ̀lú òkùnkùn? 15Ìrẹ́pọ̀ kín ni Kristi ní pẹ̀lú Beliali? Tàbí ìpín wó ni ẹni tí ó gbàgbọ́ ní pẹ̀lú aláìgbàgbọ́? 166.16: 1Kọ 10.21; 3.16; Ek 25.8; 29.45; Le 26.12; El 37.27; Jr 31.1.Ìrẹ́pọ̀ kín ni tẹmpili Ọlọ́run ní pẹ̀lú òrìṣà? Nítorí ẹ̀yin ní tẹmpili Ọlọ́run alààyè; gẹ́gẹ́ bí Ọlọ́run ti wí pé:
“Èmi á gbé inú wọn,
èmi o sì máa rìn láàrín wọn,
èmi ó sì jẹ́ Ọlọ́run wọn,
wọn yóò sì jẹ́ ènìyàn mi.”
176.17: Isa 52.11.Nítorí náà,
“Ẹ jáde kúrò láàrín wọn,
kí ẹ sì yá ara yín si ọ̀tọ̀,
ni Olúwa wí.
Ki ẹ má ṣe fi ọwọ́ kan ohun àìmọ́;
Èmi ó sì gbà yín.”
18Àti,
6.18: Ho 1.10; Isa 43.6.“Èmi o sì jẹ́ Baba fún yín,
Ẹ̀yin ó sì jẹ́ ọmọkùnrin mi àti ọmọbìnrin mi!
ní Olúwa Olódùmarè wí.”
