The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.^(A)

²³ save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.^[a](A)

³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient,^{(A) 25} correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth^{(B) 26} and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.^[a]

¹⁵ and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

³ For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, ⁴ but, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals but to please God, who tests our hearts.^{(A) 5} As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed,^{(B) 6} nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others,^{(C) 7} though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle^[a] among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. ⁸ So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

⁹ You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.^{(D) 10} You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers.^{(E) 11} As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, ¹² urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.^(F)

Treasure in Clay Jars

4 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.^{(A) 2} We have renounced the shameful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.^(B)

The Postponement of Paul’s Visit

¹² Indeed, this is our boast, the testimony of our conscience: we have behaved in the world with holiness^[a] and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God—and all the more toward you.^{(A) 13} For we write you nothing other than what you can read and also understand; I hope you will understand until the end— ¹⁴ as you have already understood us in part—that on the day of the Lord Jesus we are your boast even as you are our boast.^(B)

¹³ They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law.”

⁵ But I will show you whom to fear: fear the one who, after killing, has authority^[a] to cast into hell.^[b] Yes, I tell you, fear that one!^(A)