¹⁸ All this is from God,^(A) who reconciled us to himself through Christ^(B) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(A) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(B) by making peace^(C) through his blood,^(D) shed on the cross.

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies^(E) in your minds^(F) because of^[a] your evil behavior.

¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.^(A) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(B) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(C) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^(D)

¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies,^(A) we were reconciled^(B) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^{(C) 11} Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.^(D)

¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(A) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(B) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(C) 17} He is before all things,^(D) and in him all things hold together.

¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(A) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace^(B) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^(C)

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified^(A) through faith,^(B) we^[a] have peace^(C) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,^(D)

¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(A) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^(B)