^28 [a]From the standpoint of the gospel they are ^(A)enemies for your sake, but ^[b]from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for ^(B)the sake of the fathers;

¹⁸ Now ^(A)all these things are from God, ^(B)who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ^(C)ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that ^(D)God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, ^(E)not counting their trespasses against them, and ^[a]He has ^[b]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ^(F)ambassadors for Christ, ^(G)as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be ^(H)reconciled to God. ²¹ He made Him who ^(I)knew no sin to be ^(J)sin on our behalf, so that we might become the ^(K)righteousness of God in Him.

³ Among them we too all ^(A)formerly lived in ^(B)the lusts of our flesh, ^[a]indulging the desires of the flesh and of the ^[b]mind, and were ^(C)by nature ^(D)children of wrath, ^(E)even as the rest.

²¹ And although you were ^(A)formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(B)reconciled you in His fleshly ^(C)body through death, in order to ^(D)present you before Him ^(E)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[a]the faith firmly ^(F)established and steadfast, and not moved away from the ^(G)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(H)in all creation under heaven, ^(I)and of which I, Paul, ^[b]was made a ^[c](J)minister.

^24 (K)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(L)I ^[d]do my share on behalf of ^(M)His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking ^[e]in Christ’s afflictions. ^25 (N)Of this church I ^[f]was made a minister according to the ^(O)stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might ^[g]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, ^(P)the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His ^[h]saints, ²⁷ to whom ^(Q)God willed to make known what is ^(R)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is ^(S)Christ in you, the ^(T)hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(U)admonishing every man and teaching every man ^[i]with all ^(V)wisdom, so that we may ^(W)present every man ^[j](X)complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose also I ^(Y)labor, ^(Z)striving ^(AA)according to His ^[k]power, which ^[l]mightily works within me.