2 Corinthians 6


2 Corinthians 6 is the sixth chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It was written by Paul the Apostle and Timothy in Macedonia in 55–56 CE. Verses 1 and 2 are closely linked with the end of the previous chapter. Verses 14-18, together with 2 Corinthians 7:1, are often seen as an interpolation.

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 18 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

Old Testament references

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Verse 1

Interpretations vary as to whether the, sunergountes) here refers to Christ or to God. The American Standard Version notes "with him" as additional wording. Other texts focus on "working together" as meaning that "the apostles and ministers to whom Paul refers were joint-laborers", not necessarily adding a "with him" clause. "The word properly means, to work together; to cooperate in producing any result".

Verse 2

Paul quotes the first part of Isaiah 49:8, using the Septuagint version. The full text of this verse reads:
The promised hearing and salvation are offered first to the "suffering servant" in the time of the prophet Isaiah. J J Lias notes that they are applied first to Christ, in accordance with the Christian interpretation of the servant songs, and then, here to Christ's "covenant people". Paul adds that the day concerned is "now": William Robertson Nicoll notes that νῦν should not be read as "today" as if "the only day of grace which we can reckon on is the present", but as a reference to "the present dispensation".

Verses 3-13

Paul affirms that he offered no "obstacle" to salvation, and appears to believe that it is easy for ministers of the gospel to become obstacles, for example through "rhetoric devoid of content". The word προσκοπην, translated as "obstacle", is used only here in the New Testament, but it is equivalent to the more frequently encountered word σκάνδαλον, and to πρόσκομμα, which appears in Romans 14:13.

Verses 14-18

These verses, together with 2 Corinthians 7:1, are often seen as an interpolation.

Verse 14

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers" may refer to the law in, which is understood not to forbid civil society and converse with unbelievers, but to prohibit joining unbelievers in acts of idolatry, as one of the arguments is, "what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" which seemingly happened at that time.
In "what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness" : this "righteousness" means righteous persons, having the kingdom of God in them.
These verses have been understood in traditional forms of Christianity as prohibiting a marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian.