2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13.
2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13 (Good News Translation)
11We know what it means to fear the Lord, and so we try to persuade
others. God knows us completely, and I hope that in your hearts you know
me as well.
12We are not trying again to recommend ourselves to you;
rather, we are trying to give you a good reason to be proud of us, so that
you will be able to answer those who boast about people's appearance and
not about their character.
13Are we really insane? It is for God's sake. Or are we sane?
Then it is for your sake.
14We are ruled by the love of Christ, now that we recognize
that one man died for everyone, which means that they all share in his
death.
15He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live
for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised to life for their
sake.
16No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. Even
if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer
do so.
17Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is
gone, the new has come.
18All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from
enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends
also.
19Our message is that God was making all human beings his
friends through Christ.
God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us
the message which tells how he makes them his friends.
20Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself
were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ's behalf: let God
change you from enemies into his friends!
21Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share
our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness
of God.
1In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have
received God's grace not to let it be wasted.
2Hear what God says:
"When the time came for me to show you favor,
I heard you;
when the day arrived for me to save you,
I helped you."
3We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we
try not to put obstacles in anyone's way.
4Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's
servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties.
5We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been
overworked and have gone without sleep or food.
6By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown
ourselves to be God's servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love,
7by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have
righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves.
8We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We
are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth;
9as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead,
but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed;
10although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we
make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess
everything.
11Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we
have opened our hearts wide.
12It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who
have closed your hearts to us.
13I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same
feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!
11We know what it means to fear the Lord, and so we try to persuade
others. God knows us completely, and I hope that in your hearts you know
me as well.
12We are not trying again to recommend ourselves to you;
rather, we are trying to give you a good reason to be proud of us, so that
you will be able to answer those who boast about people's appearance and
not about their character.
13Are we really insane? It is for God's sake. Or are we sane?
Then it is for your sake.
14We are ruled by the love of Christ, now that we recognize
that one man died for everyone, which means that they all share in his
death.
15He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live
for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised to life for their
sake.
16No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. Even
if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer
do so.
17Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is
gone, the new has come.
18All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from
enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends
also.
19Our message is that God was making all human beings his
friends through Christ.
God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us
the message which tells how he makes them his friends.
20Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself
were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ's behalf: let God
change you from enemies into his friends!
21Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share
our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness
of God.
1In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have
received God's grace not to let it be wasted.
2Hear what God says:
"When the time came for me to show you favor,
I heard you;
when the day arrived for me to save you,
I helped you."
3We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we
try not to put obstacles in anyone's way.
4Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's
servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties.
5We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been
overworked and have gone without sleep or food.
6By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown
ourselves to be God's servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love,
7by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have
righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves.
8We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We
are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth;
9as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead,
but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed;
10although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we
make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess
everything.
11Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we
have opened our hearts wide.
12It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who
have closed your hearts to us.
13I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same
feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!
God bless you.
Comments