5 ¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 5 ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who pride themselves on a man's position and not on his heart. 5 ¹³ For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 5 ¹⁴ For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 5 ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

5 ¹⁶ From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. 5 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 5 ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 5 ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 5 ²⁰ So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 5 ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 ¹ Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. 6 ^{2 [ Is.49.8. ]} For he says,

6 ³ We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 6 ⁴ but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 6 ⁵ beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watching, hunger; 6 ⁶ by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, 6 ⁷ truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 6 ⁸ in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 6 ⁹ as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 6 ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

6 ¹¹ Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. 6 ¹² You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 6 ¹³ In return - I speak as to children - widen your hearts also.