Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

²⁰ So we are messengers for Christ. God is using us to call people. So we are standing here for Christ and begging people, `Come back to God!'

²¹ Christ did no wrong thing. But for our sake God put the blame for our wrong ways on Christ. So now God sees us as good, because we are in Christ.

6 We work with God. So we beg you, do not take God's blessing and get nothing from it.

² Because God has said. `I heard you call at the right time. And I helped you in the day when I saved you.' See, now is the right time. Now is the day to be saved.

³ We put nothing in anyone's way. So no one can say our work is bad.

⁴ In every way we try to show that we are good servants of God. We do not give up when there is much trouble, and things go wrong, and things are hard.

⁵ We are being beaten and put in prison. We are being knocked around. We work hard. We are awake at night and we go hungry.

⁶ We help you with our knowledge and by living a clean life, with the help of the Spirit. We are patient and kind. We help you by the Holy Spirit. We have shown true love.

⁷ We have told you the truth with the power of God. These are the right things to use in our fight, and we have used them with both hands.

⁸ Some people respect us and some do not. Some give us a good name and some a bad name. Some people say we fool people and yet we tell the truth.

⁹ Many people do not know us, and yet many people know us very well. We almost die and yet we live. People give us much trouble but they do not kill us. We are very sad and yet always glad.

¹⁰ We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but really we have everything.

6 Do not do good things so that people will see you do them. If you do, you will get no reward from your Father in heaven.

² `So when you give money to poor people, do not send men in front of you to blow trumpets or horns. Some people do this in the meeting houses and on the streets so that people will praise them. They are not true to themselves. I tell you the truth. They have their pay already.

³ But when you give money to poor people, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

⁴ In this way, what you give to the poor will be secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

⁵ `When you talk to God, do not be like people who are not true to themselves. They like to stand and talk to God in the meeting houses and at the street corners, so that people will see them. I tell you the truth. They have their reward already.

⁶ But when you talk to God, go into your room and shut the door. Then talk to your Father in secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

¹⁶ `When you are fasting [not eating food for a time], do not look sad. That is what people do who are not true to themselves. They look sad to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth. They have their reward already.

¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face as you do at other times.

¹⁸ Then people will not see that you are fasting. But your Father sees secret things, and he will reward you.'

¹⁹ `Do not keep many things for yourself on earth. Insects and rust will spoil them. People will get in and steal them.

²⁰ But keep things for yourself in heaven. Insects and rust will not spoil them there. People will not get in and steal them.

²¹ The place where you keep things is where your heart will be also.'