2 Corinthians 5:16-6:13
New Catholic Bible
16 Therefore, from now on we will not regard anyone according to human standards. Even though we once judged Christ from a human point of view,[a] we no longer do so. 17 Consequently, anyone united to Christ is a new creation. The old order has passed away. Behold, all has become new.
18 All this has been done by God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation. 19 In other words, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, and not holding people’s transgressions against them, and he committed to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is appealing to you through us. We implore you through Christ to be reconciled to God. 21 He made him who did not know sin to be sin for our sake, so that through him we might become the righteousness of God.[b]
Chapter 6
1 As his coworkers, we urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
“In an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.[c]
Ministers of God. 3 We avoid placing obstacles in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 4 On the contrary, in everything we do we present ourselves as ministers of God: in steadfast perseverance; in afflictions, hardships, and distress; 5 in floggings, imprisonments, and riots; in labors, sleepless nights, and fasts; 6 in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthfulness, and the power of God.
We wield weapons of righteousness with right hand and left,[d] 8 in times of honor or dishonor, praise or insult. We are regarded as impostors, and yet we speak the truth; 9 as unknown men, and nevertheless we are well known; as dying, and behold we live on; as scourged, but we are not put to death; 10 as sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich;[e] as having nothing, and yet we possess everything.
Relations Have Been Established[f]
11 Paul’s Heart Is Wide Open. O Corinthians, we have spoken frankly to you, and we have opened our heart to you. 12 We are not withholding our love from you, but you have withheld yours from us. 13 I speak to you as my children. In return, also open wide your hearts to us.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 5:16 We once judged Christ from a human point of view: literally: “we knew Christ according to the flesh.” The literal translation does not mean that Paul met Jesus during the latter’s mortal life; it means, rather, that before Paul was converted he had human prejudices regarding Jesus, but now no longer does so.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 This is a splendid summary of the redemption. God made the penalty for sins to fall on Jesus (see Isa 53:6; Gal 3:13). Christ, the only one who is entirely righteous, took our sins upon himself at Calvary and endured the punishment reserved for us, i.e., death and separation from God. He made it possible for us to receive his righteousness and be recommended to God. Yet all this stems from the love of the Father, who prompted Christ by his plan and enabled him to bring it about by his grace.
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 This verse does not exclude from grace and salvation those people who lived before Christ’s coming. For they received the promises that were later fulfilled in Christ (2 Cor 1:20) and saw and welcomed their fulfillment from a distance (see Jn 8:56; Heb 11:13).
- 2 Corinthians 6:7 Weapons . . . with right hand and left: with the right hand, offensive weapons (the sword); with the left, defensive weapons (the shield).
- 2 Corinthians 6:10 We make many rich: i.e., rich toward God, for true wealth does not consist in worldly possessions (see Lk 12:15, 21). Even if believers have none of the world’s goods, they possess everything in him who is Lord of all (see 1 Cor 1:4f; 3:21-23; Eph 2:7; 3:8; Phil 4:19; Col 2:3).
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 After the gripping testimony concerning the apostolate and its mystery, the Letter returns to concrete situations of the community of Corinth. Moving appeals, pastoral concern, and profound attachment come to the fore in these lines.
