₁In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted. ₂Hear what God says:

₃We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way. ₄Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. ₅We have been beaten, imprisoned, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. ₆By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God's servants — by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, ₇by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. ₈We are honoured and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; ₉as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; ₁₀although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.

₁₁Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide. ₁₂It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us. ₁₃I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!