God’s Call for Repentance

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors^(A) for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf,^(B) “Be reconciled to God.” ²¹ He made the one who did not know sin^(C) to be sin^[a] for us,^(D) so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” ² For he says:

See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!^(F)

The Character of Paul’s Ministry

³ We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. ⁴ Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, ⁵ by beatings, by imprisonments,^(G) by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, ⁶ by purity,^(H) by knowledge,^(I) by patience,^(J) by kindness,^(K) by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,^{(L) 7} by the word of truth,^[c](M) by the power of God;^(N) through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ through glory^(O) and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; ⁹ as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; ¹⁰ as grieving, yet always rejoicing;^(P) as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

How to Give

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness^[a] in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven. ² So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.^{(A) 3} But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[b](B)

How to Pray

⁵ “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.^{(C) 6} But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[c](D)

How to Fast

¹⁶ “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces ^(A) so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,^{(B) 18} so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[a]

God and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures^[b] on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.^{(C) 20} But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,^(D) where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.