2 Corinthians 6:3–11

³We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone’s way. ⁴Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God’s servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. ^5*We have been beaten, imprisoned, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. ⁶By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God’s servants—by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, ⁷by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. ⁸We are honoured and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; ⁹as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; ¹⁰although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.

¹¹Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide.