1 In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted. 2 Hear what God says:
“When the time came for me to show you favor,
I heard you;
when the day arrived for me to save you,
I helped you.”
Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!
3 We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way. 4 Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. 5 We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. 6 By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God's servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, 7 by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. 8 We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; 9 as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; 10 although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.
11 Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide. 12 It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us. 13 I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!
Warning against Pagan Influences
14 Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together? 15 How can Christ and the Devil agree? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 How can God's temple come to terms with pagan idols? For we are the temple of the living God! As God himself has said,
“I will make my home with my people
and live among them;
I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.”
17 And so the Lord says,
“You must leave them
and separate yourselves from them.
Have nothing to do with what is unclean,
and I will accept you.
18 I will be your father,
and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Onghenda nai tambulwe shili
1 Ndelenee ofye ovalongi pamwe naye ohatu mu kumaida yo, efilonghenda laKalunga muhe li tambule oshimha, 2 osheshi ota ti:
“Efimbo la wapala onde ku uda,
nefiku lexupifo onde ku kwafa.”
Tala, efimbo la wapala opaife, tala, efiku lexupifo opaife.
3 Fye itatu pe omunhu omhito okudina moshinima nande oshimwe, oshilongayakulo shetu shiha shekwe, 4 ndelenee moinima aishe ohatu liholola ofye ovayakuli vaKalunga: melididimiko linene, momahepeko, momaluhepo, momafininiko, 5 mokudengwa, modolongo, momapiyaano, moilonga idjuu, omokukala oupafi, mokulidilika oikulya; 6 moukoshoki, mokushiiva, moutalanheni, mokukala nombili, mOmhepo Iyapuki, mohole yashili ihe neliningifo, 7 meendjovo doshili, meenghono daKalunga, noilwifo youyuki meke lokolulyo nolokolumosho; 8 mokufimanekwa nomokudinwa, mokupopilwa mouwa nomowii, ngaashi ovapukifi, nande fye ovanashili, 9 ngaashi ovo inava shiivika, ndelenee otwa shiivika nawa; ngaashi ovo ve li pokufya, ndele tala, otu nomwenyo, ngaashi oonakuhandukilwa, fye inatu dipawa po, 10 ngaashi ava ve nomahodi, ndele otu nehafo alushe, ngaashi eehepele, ndele ohatu punapalifa vahapu, ngaashi ovo vehe na nande sha, ndele otu noinima aishe.
Ovaitaveli naava vehe neitavelo
11 Omakanya etu otwe e mu makulila onye Ovakorinto, omitima detu oda mbwalangadja. 12 Onye kamu nofina mufye, omu nofina momitima deni vene. 13 Ndelenee yandjeni ngaashi mwa pewa. Ohandi mu lombwele ngaashi ounona: Nanye yo mbwalangadjeni.
14 Inamu humbata ondjoko imwe pamwe naava vehe neitavelo; osheshi ouyuki ou noukumwe washike nouhenouyuki? Ile ouyelele ou nekwatafano lashike nomulaulu? 15 Ndele Kristus naBelial otava udafana ngahelipi? Ile omwiitaveli e noshitukulwa shashike naau ehe fi omwiitaveli? 16 Otembeli yaKalunga oi nekwatafano lashike noikalunga? Osheshi fye otembeli yaKalunga omunamwenyo, Kalunga ngaashi a tonga:
“Ame onda hala okukala muvo,
nokweenda mokati kavo,
Ame ohandi kala Kalunga kavo,
ovo notava ningi oshiwana shange.”
17 Onghee:
“Djeni mo mokati kavo nye mu liyoolole
mo muvo, Omwene osho ta ti,
nye inamu kuma eshi sha nyata;
opo Ame ohandi mu tambula,
18 nohandi ningi Xo yeni,
onye notamu ningi ovamwange ovamati noukadona,
Omwene Omunaenghono adishe osho ta ti.”
