Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, since^[a] God is appealing through us.

We Are Begging People To Be Reconciled To God...

We are begging^[b] on behalf of Christ: “Be reconciled to God! ²¹ He made the One not having known sin to be sin for us, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”...

We Are Appealing To You Too!

6 And working-with Him, we also are appealing that you not receive the grace of God in vain. ² For He says [in Isa 49:8], “I heard you at the acceptable time. And I helped you on the day of salvation”. Behold, now is the very-acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

... In The Process Giving Them No Opportunity For Stumbling...

³ ... in^[c] nothing giving any opportunity-for-stumbling, in order that the ministry may not be faulted,

... But Commending Ourselves While Enduring The Bad And Persevering In The Good

⁴ ... but in everything, as God’s servants, commending ourselves in great endurance— in afflictions, in constraints, in distresses, ⁵ in beatings, in prisons, in disturbances, in labors, in watchings^[d], in fastings; ⁶ in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in a holy^[e] spirit, in sincere love, ⁷ in the word^[f] of truth, in the power of God; through^[g] the weapons of ^[h] righteousness for the right hand and^[i] the left; ⁸ through^[j] glory and dishonor, through evil-report^[k] and good-report; as deceivers and true ones, ⁹ as being not-known and being fully-known; as dying and behold we live, as being disciplined and not being put-to-death, ¹⁰ as being grieved but always rejoicing; as poor but enriching many, as having nothing and holding-on-to all things.

But Do Not Merely Put On a Show of Righteousness For Others

6 “But take-heed not to do your righteousness^[a] in-front-of people so-as to be seen^[b] by them. Otherwise indeed, you do not have a reward with your Father in the heavens.

Don’t Give Money To Glorify Yourself. Give Without Thinking of Yourself At All

² “So whenever you do almsgiving^[c], do not trumpet it before you as-indeed the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the lanes^[d] so that they may be glorified by people. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward^[e] in full. ³ But while you are doing almsgiving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your almsgiving may be in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Don’t Pray To Impress Others. Always Pray As If Alone With Your Heavenly Father

⁵ “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. Because standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the wide-roads, they love to pray so that they may make-an-appearance^[f] to people. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward in full. ⁶ But whenever you pray, enter into your inner-room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father, the One in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Don’t Display Yourself As Fasting. Fast In Secret

¹⁶ “And whenever you fast, do not be like the sad-faced hypocrites. For they disfigure^[a] their faces so that they may appear to people as ones fasting. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward in full. ¹⁷ But while you are fasting, anoint your head and wash your face ¹⁸ so that you may not appear to people as one fasting, but to your Father, the One in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Build Your Storehouse of Treasure In Heaven, Not On Earth

¹⁹ “Do not be treasuring-up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and eating^[b] destroy, and where thieves break-in and steal. ²⁰ But be treasuring up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor eating destroys, and where thieves do not break in nor steal.

Your Heart Will Be Where Your Treasure Is. You Cannot Serve God And Money

²¹ “For where your treasure is, there your heart also will be.