2 Corinthians 6
What Happens in This Chapter
Paul asks the church in Corinth not to waste God's kind gift, and says now is the day God saves. He lists the hard things he and his helpers live through, and the good ways they act, to show they truly serve God. He tells the Corinthians his heart is wide open to them and asks them to open theirs. He then warns them not to be tied together with people who do not trust God, and quotes God's promise to live among his people and be their Father.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
1We work together with God. So we beg you: do not waste the kind gift God gave you.
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.)
2God says in the Bible, "I heard you at the right time. On the day I saved you, I helped you." Look, the right time is now. Today is the day God saves.
3Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
3We try hard not to trip anyone up. Then no one can say bad things about our work for God.
4But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
4In everything we do, we show we are God's servants. We keep going through trouble, hard times, and pain.
5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
5We have been beaten and put in jail. Angry crowds have come at us. We work hard, go without sleep, and go without food.
6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
6We stay clean inside. We know the truth. We wait without getting angry. We are kind. God's Holy Spirit is with us, and our love is real.
7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
7We tell the truth, and God's power is with us. Doing right is like a weapon in each of our hands.
8By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
8Some people praise us and some people shame us. Some say good things and some tell lies. People call us liars, but we tell the truth.
9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
9Nobody seems to know us, yet we are well known. We seem to be dying, but look, we are alive. We are punished, but we are not killed.
10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
10We are sad, yet we are always glad. We are poor, yet we make many people rich. We own nothing, yet everything is ours.
11O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
11Friends in Corinth, we have told you everything. Our hearts are wide open to you.
12Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
12We are not holding our love back from you. You are the ones holding your love back.
The old King James words say "straitened in your own bowels." Long ago, people said "bowels" to mean the deep feelings inside a person, the way we say "heart" today.
13Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
13So please do the same for us. I say this to you like a father to his children. Open your hearts wide too.
14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
14Do not tie yourself to people who do not trust God. Right and wrong do not belong together. Light and dark do not mix.
The old words say "unequally yoked." A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two animals so they pull a cart or plow together.
15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
15Christ and Belial, a name for the evil one, never agree. Someone who trusts God and someone who does not have nothing in common.
Belial is an old name used for the devil, the enemy of God.
16And 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.
16God's temple, the special house where God lives, cannot share room with idols, which are false gods people make. You are the house of the living God. God said, "I will live with them and walk with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
17So the Lord says, "Come away from them. Be different. Do not touch what is dirty and wrong. Then I will welcome you."
18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
18God also says, "I will be a Father to you. You will be my sons and daughters. This is what the Lord, who rules over all, says."
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