1 In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted.
2 Hear what God says:“When the time came for me to show you favourI heard you;when the day arrived for me to save you,I helped you.”Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favour; today is the day to be saved!
3 We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way.
4 Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties.
5 We have been beaten, imprisoned, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food.
6 By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God's servants — by the Holy Spirit, by our true love,
7 by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves.