2 Corinthians 6:6-15

6We serve God honestly and with clean thoughts. We know what is true. We are patient and kind. God's Holy Spirit helps us. We love people in an honest way.

7We speak a true message. God's power gives us strength. We do what is right, so we fight like soldiers on God's behalf. It is like we have God's weapons in both hands!

8Sometimes people respect us as important. Sometimes they think that we are worth nothing. People may insult us, or they may praise us. We only say true things, but some people still think that we deceive others.

9Some people do not want to know us. Other people accept us as God's servants. It seems like we are dying, but look! We are still alive! People punish us, but they do not kill us.

10We seem to be sad, but really we are always happy. We seem to be poor, but we make many people rich. We seem to have nothing, but really we have everything.

11Our friends at Corinth, we have spoken to you very honestly. We have shown you how much we love you.

12We have done nothing to stop you from being our friends. But you have not really wanted to become our friends.

13I am speaking to you as I would speak to my own children. Be fair to us! Accept us as your friends, just as we have accepted you.

14Do not become united with people who do not believe in Christ. God has made you right with himself. Right and wrong cannot work together. Light and dark cannot join together.

15Christ will never agree with the Devil. People who believe in Christ are completely different from people who do not believe.