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 6:7

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"In the word of truth." A thing he says in many places, that 'we continued neither to handle the word of God deceitfully nor to adulterate it.' "In the power of God." That which he always does ascribing nothing to himself but the whole to God, and imputing whatsoever he hath done aright to Him, this he hath done here also. For since he uttered great things, and affirmed that he had manifested in all things an irreproachable life and exalted wisdom, he ascribes this to the Spirit and to God. …

Homily 12 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Gregory of Nyssa

But to the higher understanding they are all alike; one is not of greater value than the other; because life runs on to the finish with the same speed through all these opposites, and in the lots of either class there remains the same power of choice to live well or ill, "through armour on the right hand and on the left, through evil report and good report." Therefore the clearseeing mind which measures reality will journey on its path without turning, accomplishing its appointed time from its birth to its exit; it is neither …

On Virginity 4 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"In the word of truth," that is, not perverting the word of God. "In the power of God": nothing, he says, is mine, but all this was accomplished in the power of God, or in signs and wonders and in punishing and beneficent power. "With the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left": the weapons of righteousness on the left hand signify all that is grievous, while those on the right signify all that protects and places us in safety. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then he shows how they should act in things which pertain to the truth of the mouth, namely, that they be truthful. Hence, he says, truthful speech, namely, speaking and preaching what is true. But how they should act in regard to the perfection of a work, he tells them when he says, in the power of God, i.e., in let us not put confidence in our own works, but only in the power of God: "For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power" (1 Cor. 4:20). …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗