Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea ¹  through us. We plead with you ²  on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

For even when we came into Macedonia, our body ¹  had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way – struggles from the outside, fears from within.

We did this ¹  as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach ¹  a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, ²  let him be condemned to hell! ³ 

For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. ¹ 

We proclaim him by instructing ¹  and teaching ²  all people ³  with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature ⁴  in Christ.

¹  although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became ²  little children ³  among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children,

For how can we thank God enough for you, ¹  for all the joy we feel ²  because of you before our God?

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that ¹  God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians. ² 

But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate ¹  of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. ² 

And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing – and will do – what we are commanding.

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.”

how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation.

Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to conduct ourselves rightly in every respect.

And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies. ¹ 

But whoever obeys his ¹  word, truly in this person ²  the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

We have come to know love by this: ¹  that Jesus ²  laid down ³  his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.

By this ¹  we know that we reside in God ²  and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit. ³ 

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that ¹  whenever ²  we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.