2 Corinthians 6:4-17 but to the contrary, in the midst of every situation and in every way, we are continuously placing and standing ourselves together, and recommending ourselves, as God's attending servants who dispense provisions: within the midst of much patient endurance and steadfast remaining under the situation for support; in compressed squeezings, pressures, afflictions and tribulations; within the midst of constraining necessities and compulsions; within tight spots that cramp, restrict and hem us in;

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ⁴ but to the contrary, in the midst of every [situation] and in every [way], [we are] continuously placing and standing ourselves together, and recommending ourselves, as God's attending servants who dispense provisions: within the midst of much patient endurance and steadfast remaining under [the situation] for support; in compressed squeezings, pressures, afflictions and tribulations; within the midst of constraining necessities and compulsions; within tight spots that cramp, restrict and hem us in; ⁵ in [the receiving of] blows or beatings [as with a rod] or lashings; within prisons (or: times of being in custody); in the midst of unsettled situations (conditions of disorder; turbulences; political instabilities; riots); within toilsome, vexing and exhausting labors; in sleepless nights (or: vigils); within times without food (or: fasts; times of hunger). ⁶ [We have served and dispensed] with pureness (or: centered in [a life of] purity); in personally experienced knowledge; with forbearing patience (in taking a long time before becoming emotional or rushing with passion); with useful kindness; in a set-apart (holy) spirit (or: within the midst of [the] Holy Spirit; within a hallowed breath-effect; in a set-apart attitude); centered in, and with, uncritical love (or: love that is free from the influence of separating for evaluation; love that is not based on making distinctions, fault-finding or judging) ⁷ with and in a message of Truth (or: centered in a thought, idea and Word of Reality); within God's power and ability; through means of the tools and instruments (or: weapons; utensils; implements) of the rightwised behavior and relationships with the fairness and equity of the Way pointed out (also = from covenant participation) – on the right hand and on the left; ⁸ through a good reputation, and [through] dishonor (or: through means of glory and a praise-inducing manifestation, as well as [through] absence of value or respect); through words of ill omen and words of good omen (or: through bad reports and defamation, and [through] good reports and praise); as wanderers and yet real (or: as [considered being] men who deceive and lead astray, and yet [being] true); ⁹ as continuing being unknown (nonentities) and yet constantly being ones fully recognized; as being those continually or progressively withering and dying, and yet look and consider: we continue living; as being those progressively being disciplined, trained and educated as young boys, and yet not being ones regularly delivered to death; ¹⁰ as those being repeatedly made anxious, sad, vexed, distressed or in pain, but yet ever rejoicing; as constantly being people that are poor, destitute and living as beggars, but yet repeatedly making many rich (or: enriching many folks); as those possessing (having or holding) nothing, and yet continuously possessing all things to the full (or: habitually having and retaining everything in a firm grasp; or: repeatedly holding fast to all folks)! ¹¹ Our mouth has been opened up and continues open toward you, O Corinthians: our heart has been broadened and is now enlarged. ¹² You folks are not being constantly restricted into some limited place within us (= in our hearts), but you are being repeatedly squeezed into restrictions in your own inner sensitivities and deep feelings (within your interior organs). ¹³ Now I am speaking as to children: [let's have] the same fair exchange of recompense. You folks also be broadened and enlarged! ¹⁴ Do not of yourself continue (or: Stop) becoming yoked differently (or: unevenly yoked; yoked with ones of a different sort) with folks without faith (or: by those without trust; to unbelievers; with disloyal people), for, what mutual holding (having-with: sharing; partnership; communion; membership) [have] rightwised living and lawlessness (or: fairness/equity, and a lack of following rules; [covenant membership] in right relationship which accords with the Way pointed out, and inequity or wrong which come from violation of law), or what common existing (participation; partnership; sharing) [is] in light [directed] toward, or face to face with, darkness (or: [is there] for light with dimness from murky obscurity in the realm of shadows)? ¹⁵ And what joining of voice (concord, agreement and harmony of sound) has Christ [when faced] toward Belial [Hebrew word for "worthlessness"]? Or what part for one full of faith and trust (or: portion in a believer) [corresponds] with one who lacks faith (an unbeliever; one who is not trustworthy or loyal)? ¹⁶ Now what mutual deposit (or: concurrence or agreement arrived by group decision) [does] God's Temple [have] with idols (or: external forms or appearances; or: phantoms of the mind; unsubstantial images or forms)? For, you see, we [other MSS: you folks] continuously exist being (we/you are) a temple of [the] living God, just as God said, "I will proceed to make My home and will continue walking about within and among them (= I will habitually reside, as in a house, and live My life within and among them), and I will proceed existing being (or: I will continue being) their God, and they will proceed existing being (or: will continue being) My people." [Lev. 26:12; etc.] ¹⁷ On which account [the] Lord [= Yahweh] says, "Instantly go forth from out of their midst and be instantly marked off by boundaries so as to be defined and restricted – and do not continue (or: stop) touching what is unclean (= ceremonially defiled), [Isa. 52:11] and then I, Myself, will constantly admit you folks and receive you into [Myself; My family], [Ezk. 20:41]