1. We are workers together with God. So we beg you: Do not let the grace that you received from God be for nothing.
2. God says,“I heard your prayers at the right time,and I gave you help on the day of salvation.” Isaiah 49:8I tell you that the “right time” is now. The “day of salvation” is now.
3. We do not want anyone to find anything wrong with our work. So we do nothing that will be a problem for anyone.
4. But in every way we show that we are servants of God: in accepting many hard things, in troubles, in difficulties, and in great problems.
5. We are beaten and thrown into prison. Men become upset and fight us. We work hard, and sometimes we get no sleep or food.
6. We show that we are servants of God by living a pure life, by our understanding, by our patience, and by our kindness. We show this by the Holy Spirit, by true love,
7. by speaking the truth, and by God’s power. We use our right living to defend ourselves against everything.
8. Some people honor us, but other people shame us. Some people say good things about us, but other people say bad things. Some people say we are liars, but we speak the truth.
9. We are not known, but we are well-known. We seem to be dying, but look—we continue to live. We are punished, but we are not killed.