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.”
1 Ago losi oye amaro Lu be voaloya si ya, mà ami se ka'dobe tai'dwero Lu robe ono eji ko anya o'bane a'done ta awi ro. 2 Nyeri tase Lu kabe atana ekye:
“Ondro tu kesate märi yauni ka'dazana ämiri oko,
meri ami te,
ondro tu kesate märi ami opaza
mapa ami te.”
Nyeri! Ono ni saa yauni Lu ro usu ro owo; ondro ono orivoya ni tu ŋgaopa ro owo!
3 Màle ko 'diaza ri taenji usune losi amaro ya, ago mà ojo ko o'de toromoga o'bana liti 'diaza roya. 4 Oko, ŋgacini màbe oyena ya màka'da ta te anjioko ama orivoya ruindu'bai Lu ro yaiŋgyi si ma ugu rriti iŋgyi, gboroto ndi rriti be. 5 A'bi ama te, avote kamba ya, amote ämädri; màye losi te ndra oyene drisi ago màrite teinye u'duako ago ŋgaonya ako. 6 A'do amaro wäṛi, tauni, yaiŋgyi ndi yai'dwe be si màka'da andivo amaro te a'done ruindu'bai Lu ro ro, Tori Alokado si, ŋgalu ŋgye amaro si, 7 lazo amaro taŋgye si si, ago mbara Lu rosi. Ama orivoya taŋgye be oso lakaza kyila oyero amaro ronye, 'digotaza ago andivo amaro gagaza. 8 Aro ama te ago aro ama kote, a'da ama te ago äräṛute. Aye ama te oso koweoga'bai ronye, caoko mà taŋgye ata, 9 oso uniako, caoko 'dicini ni ama te, oso ago ama te avo yi, oko oso nyàbe ondrena ronye, mà gi ugu ori. Eza ama ca, äfu ama kote; 10 a'ba ca tusuro, ama orivoya ondoalo yai'dwesi; màlandre te ŋgaako'ba ro, oko mà lidri amba o'ba ŋgaamba be, màlandre oso ama ŋga aza ako, caoko ama orivoya ŋgacini be.
11 Ku bereazii Korineto ya! Mà ata ŋbelero ämiri, màfo ya amaro te uŋbo ämiri. 12 Ama ko ni se kose ya amaro be ni ämiri owo; oko ami ni se mise ya amiro be ni ämäri owo. 13 Ma ata ämiri yauono oso ami ŋgwai maro ronye; ämiri kpa tausu alo ono ka'dane ayani ämäri oso ama be sina ta amiro ta ronye. Nyàfo ya amiro uŋbo.
Miomba Ozo Taoye Taomaako rota
14 Nyòjo ko a'done losioye'baazi ro taomaako'bai be, ŋgakado ndi ŋgakozi be uninayi a'done losioye'baazi ro eŋwanye ya? Ŋgaeyi ndi vouni be uninayi a'done troalo eŋwanye ya? 15 Kristo unina tadriolene Kicu'ba be eŋwanye ya? Ŋgase aza taoma'ba kala'dona voaloyasi taomaako'ba be ni e'di ya? 16 Yekalu Lu ro unina a'done tadriolebe lui taomaako'ba robe eŋwanye ya? Tana ama orivoya Yekalu Lu lidriidriro ro! Oso Lu andivo katabe ronye ekye:
“Ma'bana 'ba maro 'da lidri maro be
ago marina 'da ànya lako;
ma'dona 'da Lu ànyaro
ago ànya a'dona 'da lidri maro.”
17 Ago Opi ka kpa ata ekye:
“Beṛo ämiri ànya e'bene
ago nyelewe ami ni ànya resi.
Mìye ta aza ko tase orivoya undiro be,
ago märuna ami 'da.
18 Ma'dona 'da Täpi ro ämiri,
ago nyà'dona 'da ŋgwàagoro ago ndiriŋwa ro maro,
Opi mbaraekye kani ata nonye.”