1 We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's gift of undeserved grace. 2 In the Scriptures God says,
“When the time came,
I listened to you,
and when you needed help,
I came to save you.”
That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved.
3 We don't want anyone to find fault with our work, and so we try hard not to cause problems. 4 But in everything and in every way we show we truly are God's servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times. 5 We have been beaten, put in jail, and hurt in riots. We have worked hard and have gone without sleep or food. 6 But we have kept ourselves pure and have been understanding, patient, and kind. The Holy Spirit has been with us, and our love has been real. 7 We have spoken the truth, and God's power has worked in us. In all our struggles we have said and done only what is right.
8 Whether we were honored or dishonored or praised or cursed, we always told the truth about ourselves. But some people said we did not. 9 We are unknown to others, but well known to you. We seem to be dying, and yet we are still alive. We have been punished, but never killed, 10 and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours.
11 Friends in Corinth, we are telling the truth when we say there is room in our hearts for you. 12 We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us. 13 I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
The Temple of the Living God
14 Stay away from people who are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same? 15 Is Christ a friend of Satan? Can people who follow the Lord have anything in common with those who don't? 16 Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says,
“I will live with these people
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be
my people.”
17 The Lord also says,
“Leave them and stay away!
Don't touch anything
that isn't clean.
Then I will welcome you
18 and be your Father.
You will be my sons
and my daughters,
as surely as I am God,
the All-Powerful.”
1 Otja mbu tu ri ovaungure vapamwe na Ndjambi matu riyarikaṋa ku eṋe kutja amu ha pewa otjari tja Ndjambi omungandjo. 2 Ndjambi ma tja:
“Ami mbe ku zuvira moruveze orusemba,
nu mbe ku yama meyuva rondjamo.”
Tara, oruveze orusemba onambano, nu ndinondi ondi ri eyuva rondjamo!
3 Eṱe tu kondja kutja atu ha tjiti ombutarisiro komundu auhe ngamwa, kokutja motjiungura tjetu amu ha munika ondataiziro. 4 Nungwari mu avihe mbi tu tjita tu raisa kutja oweṱe ovakarere va Ndjambi. Eṱe twa kara nomuretima momaumba, na momatatumisiro, na momauzeu aehe ngamwa. 5 Eṱe twa tonwa, atu paterwa motjovakamburwa natu kara momazunganeno; twa ungurisiwa tjinene, natu kara omauṱuku omengi katumba natu nondjara. 6 Twe riraisa oveni kutja oweṱe ovaungure vapamwe na Ndjambi moukohoke na mounongo na mokukara nomuretima noupore. Avihe mbi twa tjita mOmbepo Ondjapuke na morusuvero rouatjiri, 7 na mokuzuvarisa ouatjiri na momasa wa Ndjambi nge ungura mu eṱe. Eṱe tuna ousemba otja otjirwise tjetu, okurwisa nokuriyeura natjo. 8 Eṱe tu yozikwa nu tu tengururwa; tu yambururwa nu tu tangwa. Tu varwa otja ovapukise, nungwari atu hungira ouatjiri; 9 tu varwa otja ovahatjiukwa, nungwari atu tjiukwa i avehe; otja ovaṱi, nungwari tareye, oweṱe mba tu nomuinyo; otja ovaverwa, nungwari atu hiya ṱa; 10 otja ovanaruhoze, nungwari aruhe atu nenyando; otja ovasyona, nungwari atu tumbisa ovengi; otja mbu tu hi notjiṋa, nungwari atu na avihe.
11 Vakwetu Ovakorinte, eṱe twa hungira ongahukiro na eṋe; omitima vyetu ku eṋe vi ri kamwaha okumanuka. 12 Katu patere omitima vyetu ku eṋe; oweṋe mbu mwa pata omitima vyeṋu ku eṱe. 13 Ami me hungire na eṋe aayo oweṋe ovanatje vandje. Tjiteye ku eṱe imbi eṱe mbi twa tjita ku eṋe: Omitima vyeṋu wina ngavi kare kamwaha!
Omaronga otja kovikaro vya imba mbe he ri ovakambure
14 Amu kara nehore rimwe na imba mbe ha kambura mu Kristus! Mape ya vi ousemba nouhasemba vi nanene kumwe? Nondjerera i noruwano rwatjike nonḓorera? 15 Mape yenene vi kutja pe sokukara omazuvasaneno pokati ka Kristus na Satan? Pe noruwano rwatjike pokati komukambure nomuhakambura? 16 Oomukuru vovisenginina ve noruveze rwatjike mondjuwo ya Ndjambi omunamuinyo? Orondu eṱe oweṱe ondjuwo ondjapuke ya Ndjambi omunamuinyo, otja Ndjambi punga a hungirire a tja:
“Ami me tura mu wo
ne ryanga mokati kawo;
me rire Ndjambi wawo,
nowo ave rire otjiwaṋa tjandje.”
17 Muhona opu ma zokutja:
“Zamoeye mokati kawo
nu mu haṋike na wo!
Amu ṱunu ko ku ihi tji tji ri otjihakohoke,
nami otji me mu yakura.
18 Ami me rire Iho,
neṋe mamu rire ovanatje
vandje ovazandu novakazona,
Muhona, Omunamasaaehe, ma tja nao.”
