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We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

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Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;(A) we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.(B) On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience(C) in the sight of God.

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17 You see, we are not like the many hucksters[a] who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:17 Some manuscripts read the rest of the hucksters.

17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(A) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(B) as those sent from God.(C)

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So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!

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For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,(A) nor are we trying to trick you.(B) On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.(C) We are not trying to please people(D) but God, who tests our hearts.(E) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(F)—God is our witness.(G)

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We Are God’s Ambassadors

11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.

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The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,(A) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.(B)

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13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

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13 For such people are false apostles,(A) deceitful(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(C) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(E)

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In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,[a] and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:6 Or by our holiness of spirit.

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments(A) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(B) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(C) and in sincere love;(D) in truthful speech(E) and in the power of God;(F) with weapons of righteousness(G) in the right hand and in the left;

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So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

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Therefore judge nothing(A) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.(B) He will bring to light(C) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.(D)

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But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

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But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,(A) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

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14 I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true!

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14 I had boasted to him about you,(A) and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus(B) has proved to be true as well.

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16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1:16 Greek also the Greek.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,(A) because it is the power of God(B) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:(C) first to the Jew,(D) then to the Gentile.(E)

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12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.

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12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

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14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

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14 Then we will no longer be infants,(A) tossed back and forth by the waves,(B) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(C)

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I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.

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I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,(A) but I do have knowledge.(B) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

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