2 Corinthians 5:12-21

12 We are not recommending ourselves to you again but giving you a reason to be proud of us, so that you will be able to answer those who boast about a person's appearance rather than his inner qualities.
13 If we are insane, it is for God's sake; and if we are sane, it is for your sake.
14 For the Messiah's love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man died on behalf of all mankind (which implies that all mankind was already dead),
15 and that he died on behalf of all in order that those who live should not live any longer for themselves but for the one who on their behalf died and was raised.
16 So from now on, we do not look at anyone from a worldly viewpoint. Even if we once regarded the Messiah from a worldly viewpoint, we do so no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation - the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!
18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation,
19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, "Be reconciled to God!
21 God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God's righteousness."

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Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.