21 At one time you were far away from God. You hated him in your hearts and you did wrong things.
22 But now Christ himself has died on a cross, and he has brought you back to God. Christ will bring you before God holy, clean, and good.
23 But you must keep on believing and stand strong and true. Let nothing shake the hope which the good news brought you. You heard the same good news as is told to everyone in the whole world. I, Paul, was given the work of telling that same good news.