For He says:
He supports that appeal with God's own word about the acceptable time and the day of salvation, and says that time is now.
It makes the urgency of grace immediate.
1As God’s fellow workers, then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2For He says: 3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; 5in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger; 6in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; 9unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide. 12It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained. 13As a fair exchange— I speak as to my children— open wide your hearts also.