5 ¹¹ WITH THIS FEAR of the Lord before our eyes we address our appeal to men. To God our lives lie open, as I hope they also lie open to you in your heart of hearts. 5 ¹² This is not another attempt to recommend ourselves to you: we are rather giving you a chance to show yourselves proud of us; then you will have something to say to those whose pride is all in outward show and not in inward worth. 5 ¹³ It may be we are beside ourselves, but it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 5 ¹⁴ For the love of Christ leaves us no choice, when once we have reached the conclusion that one man died for all and therefore all mankind has died. 5 ¹⁵ His purpose in dying for all was that men, while still in life, should cease to live for themselves, and should live for him who for their sake died and was raised to life.

5 ¹⁶ With us therefore worldly standards have ceased to count in our estimate of any man; even if once they counted in our understanding of Christ, they do so now no longer. 5 ¹⁷ When anyone is united to Christ, there is a new world; Or: a new act of creation. the old order has gone, and a new order has already begun. Or: When anyone is united to Christ he is a new creature: his old life is over; a new life has already begun.
5 ¹⁸ From first to last this has been the work of God. He has reconciled us men to himself through Christ, and he has enlisted us in this service of reconciliation. 5 ¹⁹ What I mean is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, no longer holding men's misdeeds against them, and that he has entrusted us with the message of reconciliation. 5 ²⁰ We come therefore as Christ's ambassadors. It is as if God were appealing to you through us: in Christ's name, we implore you, be reconciled to God! 5 ²¹ Christ was innocent of sin, and yet for our sake God made him one with the sinfulness of men, so that in him we might be made one with the goodness of God himself.

6 ¹ Sharing in God's work, we urge this appeal upon you: you have received the grace of God; do not let it go for nothing. 6 ^{2 [ Is.49.8. ]} God's own words are:

'In the hour of my favour I gave heed to you;
On the day of deliverance I came to your aid.'

6 ³ In order that our service may not be brought into discredit, we avoid giving offence in anything. 6 ⁴ As God's servants, we try to recommend ourselves in all circumstances by our steadfast endurance: in distress, hardships and dire straits; 6 ⁵ flogged, imprisoned, mobbed; overworked, sleepless, starving. 6 ⁶ We recommend ourselves by the innocence of our behaviour, our grasp of truth, our patience and kindliness; by gifts of the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 6 ⁷ by declaring the truth, by the power of God. We wield the weapons of righteousness in right hand and left. 6 ⁸ Honour and dishonour, praise and blame, are alike our lot: we are the impostors who speak the truth, 6 ⁹ the unknown men whom all men know; dying we still live on; disciplined by suffering, we are not done to death; 6 ¹⁰ in our sorrows we have always cause for joy; poor ourselves, we bring wealth to many; penniless, we own the world.

6 ¹¹ Men of Corinth, we have spoken very frankly to you; we have opened our heart wide to you all. 6 ¹² On our part there is no constraint; any constraint there may be is in yourselves. 6 ¹³ In fair exchange then (may a father speak so to his children?) open wide your hearts to us.