Fathers

2 Corinthians 6

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Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain, for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return, I speak as to my children: you also open your hearts. Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.” Therefore “ ‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 6:17

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Wherefore come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, saith the Lord." And He said not, 'Do not unclean things'; but, requiring greater strictness, 'do not even touch,' saith he, 'nor go near them.' But what is filthiness of the flesh? Adultery, fornication, lasciviousness of every kind. And what of the soul? Unclean thoughts, as gazing with unchaste eyes, malice, deceits, and whatsoever such things there be. He wishes then that they should be clean in both. …

Homily 13 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He did not say: do not do foolish things, but: do not even touch them. Uncleanness is of two kinds: bodily and spiritual. To the spiritual belong impure thoughts, impure gazes, malice, deceit, and the like; while to bodily uncleanness belong: fornication, adultery, and every indulgence of the flesh. So then, he wants us to be clean from both the one and the other uncleanness. "Come out from the midst" of the unbelievers "and be separate," that is, live apart and be clean, and then I will receive you. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Clement of Alexandria

Wherefore also in the Barbarian philosophy they call those dead who have fallen away from the dogmas, and have placed the mind in subjection to carnal passions. "For what fellowship hath righteousness and iniquity?" according to the divine apostle. "Or what communion hath light with darkness? or what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath the believer with the unbeliever?" For the honours of the Olympians and of mortals lie apart. …

The Stromata Book 5 ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, Therefore come out from them, he confirms this admonition with another authority. In regard to this he does two things. First, he confirms the admonition by an authority; secondly, he indicates the reward promised to those who heed the admonition (v. 18). He says therefore, i.e., because you are temples of God, come out from them: "Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of it" (Is. 52:11). …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗