2 Corinthians 5:20 (WEB)

Passage

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 5:18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2 Corinthians 5:19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "ambassadors", "behalf", "christ", "though", and "entreating". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "ambassadors", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "namely that God was in Christ reconciling..." into verse 21's "For him who knew no sin he...", so "therefore" and "ambassadors" belong inside that flow. In 2 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "ambassadors" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.