Therefore,we are ambassadorsfor Christ,as thoughGodwere making an appealthroughus; we begyou on behalfof Christ,be reconciledto God.
Yet the LORDwarnedIsraeland JudahthroughallHis prophets[and] everyseer,saying,"Turnfrom your evilwaysand keepMy commandments,My statutesaccording to allthe lawwhichI commandedyour fathers,and whichI sentto you throughMy servantsthe prophets."
The LORD,the Godof their fathers,sent[word] to them againand againby His messengers,becauseHe hadcompassionon His peopleand on His dwellingplace;
And admonishedthem in order to turnthem backto Your law.Yet they actedarrogantlyand did not listento Your commandmentsbut sinnedagainst Your ordinances,By whichif a manobservesthem he shall live.And they turneda stubbornshoulderand stiffenedtheir neck,and would not listen.
"Yieldnowand be at peacewith Him; Thereby goodwill cometo you.
"Ifthereis an angel[as] mediatorfor him, Oneout of a thousand,To reminda manwhatis rightfor him,
"Behold,I belong to Godlike you; I toohave been formedout of the clay.
A wickedmessengerfallsinto adversity,But a faithfulenvoy[brings] healing.
"Orlet him relyon My protection,Let him makepeacewith Me, Let him makepeacewith Me."
But Jeremiahsaid,"They will not giveyou over. Pleaseobeythe LORDin whatI am sayingto you, that it may gowellwith you and you may live.
Yet I sentyou allMy servantsthe prophets,againand again,saying,"Oh,do not dothisabominablethingwhichI hate."
"For the lipsof a priestshould preserveknowledge,and men should seekinstructionfrom his mouth;for he is the messengerof the LORDof hosts.
"The one who listensto you listensto Me, and the one who rejectsyou rejectsMe; and he who rejectsMe rejectsthe One who sentMe."
"And the mastersaidto the slave,'Goout into the highwaysand along the hedges,and compel[them] to comein, sothat my housemay be filled.
SoJesussaidto them again,"Peace[be] with you; as the Fatherhas sentMe, I alsosendyou."
For ifwhile we were enemieswe were reconciledto Godthroughthe deathof His Son,muchmore,having been reconciled,we shall be savedby His life.
ThereforeI am well contentwith weaknesses,with insults,with distresses,with persecutions,with difficulties,for Christ'ssake;for whenI am weak,thenI amstrong.
whoalsomade us adequate[as] servantsof a newcovenant,not of the letterbut of the Spirit;for the letterkills,but the Spiritgives life.
Therefore,knowingthe fearof the Lord,we persuademen,but we are mademanifestto God;and I hopethat we are made manifestalsoin your consciences.
And working together[with Him], we alsourgeyou not to receivethe graceof Godin vain--
for whichI am an ambassadorin chains;that in [proclaiming] it I may speak boldly,as I oughtto speak.
and throughHim to reconcileall thingsto Himself,having made peacethroughthe bloodof His cross;throughHim, [I say], whetherthings on earthorthings in heaven.
So,he who rejects[this] is not rejectingmanbut the Godwho givesHis HolySpiritto you.
