to Himself, not charging men's transgressions to their account,
and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation.
005:020 On Christ's behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were,
making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ's behalf,
beseech men to be reconciled to God.
005:021 He has made Him who knew nothing of sin to be sin for us,
in order that in Him we may become the righteousness of God.
006:001 And you also we, as God's fellow workers, entreat not to be
found to have received His grace to no purpose.
006:002 For He says, "At a time of welcome I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have succoured you."
Now is the time of loving welcome! Now is the day of salvation!
006:003 We endeavour to give people no cause for stumbling in anything,
lest the work we are doing should fall into discredit.
006:004 On the contrary, as God's servants, we seek their full approval--
by unwearied endurance, by afflictions, by distress, by helplessness;
006:005 by floggings, by imprisonments; by facing riots, by toil,
by sleepless watching, by hunger and thirst;
006:006 by purity of life, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness,
by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love;
006:007 by the proclamation of the truth, by the power of God;
by the weapons of righteousness, wielded in both hands;
006:008 through honour and ignominy, through calumny and praise.
We are looked upon as impostors and yet are true men;
006:009 as obscure persons, and yet are well known; as on the point of death,
and yet, strange to tell, we live; as under God's discipline,
and yet we are not deprived of life;
006:010 as sad, but we are always joyful; as poor, but we bestow
wealth on many; as having nothing, and yet we securely
possess all things.