21. You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things.
22. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent.
23. But you must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith. You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the good news. It was preached to everyone on earth, and I myself have become a servant of this message.
24. I am glad that I can suffer for you. I am pleased also that in my own body I can continue the suffering of Christ for his body, the church.
25. God's plan was to make me a servant of his church and to send me to preach his complete message to you.