¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(A) by which he put to death their hostility.

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. ²² But now he has reconciled^(G) you by Christ’s physical body^(H) through death to present you^(I) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation^(J)—

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)

³ For what the law was powerless^(A) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[a](B) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(C) to be a sin offering.^[b](D) And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(A) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^(B)

Living for God

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,^(A) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.^{(B) 2} As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,^(C) but rather for the will of God.

¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(A) the law with its commands and regulations.^(B) His purpose was to create in himself one^(C) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

¹⁸ All this is from God,^(A) who reconciled us to himself through Christ^(B) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.^(C) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(D) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(E) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^{(F) 21} God made him who had no sin^(G) to be sin^[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.^(H)

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ^(A) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^(B) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,^(C) who loved me^(D) and gave himself for me.^(E)