The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing ^(A)the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But ^(B)what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

²³ save others by ^(A)snatching them out of ^(B)the fire; to others show mercy ^(C)with fear, hating even ^(D)the garment^[a] stained by the flesh.

^31 (A)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

²⁴ And ^(A)the Lord's servant^[a] must not be quarrelsome but ^(B)kind to everyone, ^(C)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(D)with gentleness. God ^(E)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(F)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(G)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

¹⁵ And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, ^(A)he was thrown into the lake of fire.

¹³ saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to ^(A)the law.”

³ For ^(A)our appeal does not spring from ^(B)error or ^(C)impurity or ^(D)any attempt to deceive, ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God ^(E)to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not ^(F)to please man, but to please God ^(G)who tests our hearts. ^5 (H)For we never came with words of flattery,^[a] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—^(I)God is witness. ^6 (J)Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, ^(K)though we could have made ^(L)demands as ^(M)apostles of Christ. ⁷ But we were ^(N)gentle^[b] among you, ^(O)like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. ⁸ So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God ^(P)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

⁹ For you remember, brothers, ^(Q)our labor and toil: we ^(R)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and ^(S)God also, ^(T)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. ¹¹ For you know how, ^(U)like a father with his children, ¹² we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and ^(V)charged ^(W)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, ^(X)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(A)we may present everyone ^(B)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(C)I toil, ^(D)struggling ^(E)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.