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. ^12 (C)We are not commending ourselves to you again but ^(D)giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. ¹³ For if we ^(E)are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(F)controls us, because we have concluded this: that ^(G)one has died for all, therefore all have died; ¹⁵ and he died for all, ^(H)that those who live might no longer live for themselves but ^(I)for him who for their sake died and was raised.

¹⁶ From now on, therefore, ^(J)we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is ^(K)in Christ, he is ^(L)a new creation.^{[a] (M)}The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, ^(N)who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us ^(O)the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling^[b] the world to himself, ^(P)not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us ^(Q)the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, ^(R)we are ambassadors for Christ, ^(S)God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ^21 (T)For our sake he made him to be sin ^(U)who knew no sin, so that in him we might become ^(V)the righteousness of God.

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(A)far off have been brought near ^(B)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(C)he himself is our peace, ^(D)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(E)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(F)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(G)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(H)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(I)preached peace to you who were ^(J)far off and peace to those who were ^(K)near. ¹⁸ For ^(L)through him we both have ^(M)access in ^(N)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(O)strangers and aliens,^[a] but you are ^(P)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(Q)members of the household of God, ^20 (R)built on the foundation of the ^(S)apostles and prophets, ^(T)Christ Jesus himself being ^(U)the cornerstone, ^21 (V)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(W)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him ^(X)you also are being built together ^(Y)into a dwelling place for God by^[b] the Spirit.