[5:11] We 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.
[5:12] We 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.
[5:13] Are we really insane? It is for God's sake. Or are we sane? Then it is for your sake.
[5:14] We 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.
[5:15] He 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.
[5:16] No 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.
[5:17] Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.
[5:18] All 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.
[5:19] Our 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.
[5:20] Here 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!
[5:21] Christ 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.
[6:1] In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted.
[6:2] Hear 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.” Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!
[6:3] We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way.
[6:4] Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties.
[6:5] We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food.
[6:6] By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God's servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love,
[6:7] by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves.
[6:8] We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth;
[6:9] as 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;
[6:10] although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.
[6:11] Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide.
[6:12] It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us.
[6:13] I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!