⁸ But God proves^(A) his own love for us^(B) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood,^(C) will we be saved through him from wrath.^{(D) 10} For if, while we were enemies,^(E) we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.^{(F) 11} And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.^(G)

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹⁶ From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective.^[a] Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective,^[b] yet now we no longer know him in this way. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;^(A) the old has passed away, and see,^(B) the new has^[c] come!^{(C) 18} Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.^{(D) 19} That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world^(E) to himself,^(F) not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

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

¹⁹ Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness^(A) the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰ For this I am an ambassador^(B) in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.