2 Corinthians 5:20--6:2

5:20 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!” 5:21 God ³  made the one who did not know sin ⁴  to be sin for us, so that in him ⁵  we would become the righteousness of God.

God’s Suffering Servants

6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ⁶  6:2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” ⁷  Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!

¹ tn Or “as though God were begging.”

² tn Or “we beg you.”

³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.

⁵ sn That is, “in Christ.”

⁶ tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”

⁷ sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.