Their Ministry Commended

1 And aworking together with Him, bwe also urge you not to receive cthe grace of God in vain—

2 for He says,

“aAt the acceptable time I listened to you,

And on the day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—

3 agiving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,

4 but in everything acommending ourselves as 1bservants of God, cin much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

5 in abeatings, in imprisonments, in btumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in chunger,

6 in purity, in aknowledge, in bpatience, in kindness, in the cHoly Spirit, in dgenuine love,

7 in athe word of truth, in bthe power of God; by cthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

8 by glory and adishonor, by bevil report and good report; regarded as cdeceivers and yet dtrue;

9 as unknown 1yet well-known, as adying 1yet behold, bwe live; as 2punished 1yet not put to death,

10 as asorrowful yet always arejoicing, as bpoor yet making many rich, as chaving nothing 1yet possessing dall things.