¹⁸ Whoever thus serves Christ is ^(A)acceptable to God and approved by men.

²¹ for ^(A)we aim at what is honorable ^(B)not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.

²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But ^(A)if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

^5 (A)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as ^(B)a spiritual house, to be ^(C)a holy priesthood, ^(D)to offer spiritual sacrifices ^(E)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

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.

³ remembering before ^(A)our God and Father ^(B)your work of faith and labor of ^(C)love and ^(D)steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ For we know, ^(E)brothers^[a] loved by God, ^(F)that he has chosen you,

¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ^(A)their own appetites,^[a] and ^(B)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

^16 (A)having a good conscience, so that, ^(B)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith ^(A)apart from your works, and I will show you my faith ^(B)by my works. ^19 (C)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even ^(D)the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ^21 (E)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that ^(F)faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed ^(G)by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ^(H)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a ^(I)friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also ^(J)Rahab the prostitute justified by works ^(K)when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.