¹⁸ Jesus approached and, ^[a]breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

¹⁹ Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them ^[b]into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

²⁰ Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you ^[c]all the days (^[d]perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. ^[e]Amen (so let it be).

¹⁸ But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].

¹⁹ It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.