Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.
- BSB “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
- NKJV Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
- NASB “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.
- NLT Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Citing Isaiah, the Lord calls His people to come out, be separate, and avoid uncleanness, with the promise that He will receive them. Holiness and God's welcome go together.
Overview
Paul quotes Isaiah 52:11 to summon believers to separation from defilement. The command to 'come out' and 'touch no unclean thing' is paired with the gracious promise, 'I will receive you.' Consecration to God is met by His acceptance and fellowship.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Isa 52:11Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
- Rev 18:4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
- 2 Cor 7:1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Ps 1:1–3Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
- Num 16:26And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
- Ezra 10:11Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
- Prov 9:6Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
- Acts 2:40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
- Jer 51:6Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
- John 6:37–38All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
- Num 16:21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
- Ezra 6:21And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,
- Num 16:45Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
- Rom 15:7Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.
How 2 Corinthians 6:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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