
Their Ministry Commended
1 Working together with Him, we strongly urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain [by turning away from sound doctrine and His merciful kindness].
2 For He says,
“At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you, and I helped you on the day of salvation.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
3 we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger,
6 in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [like holding the sword to attack] and for the left [like holding the shield to defend],
8 amid glory and dishonor; by evil report and good report; branded as deceivers and yet [vindicated as] truthful;
9 as unknown [to the world], yet well-known [by God and His people]; as dying, yet we live; as punished, yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (AMP)