Yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you--yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.

I, John, who am your Brother, and who share with you in the suffering and kingship and endurance of Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos, for the sake of the Message of God and the testimony to Jesus.

Beseech

I implore you not to drive me to "show my boldness," when I do come, by the confident tone which I expect to have to adopt towards some of you, who are expecting to find us influenced in our conduct by earthly motives.

It is, then, on Christ's behalf that we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing to you through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf--Be reconciled to God.

Therefore, as God's fellow-workers, we also appeal to you not to receive his loving-kindness in vain.

I entreat you, then, Brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, for this is your rational worship.

I urge you, then--I who am a prisoner in the Master's cause-- to live lives worthy of the Call that you have received;

Dear friends, I urge you, as pilgrims and strangers upon earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war upon the soul.

By

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly-minded, and 'you shall find rest for your souls';

He shall not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets;

'Say to the daughter of Zion--"Behold, thy King is coming to thee, Gentle, and riding on an ass, And on the foal of a beast of burden."'

The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this--'Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.

He 'never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.'

Presence

You look at the outward appearance of things! Let any one, who is confident that he belongs to Christ, reflect, for himself, again upon the fact--that we belong to Christ no less than he does.

Base

For people say "His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible."

If I must boast, I will boast of things which show my weakness!

About such a man I will boast, but about myself I will not boast except as regards my weaknesses.

For though his crucifixion was due to weakness, his life is due to the power of God. And we, also, are weak in his weakness, but with him we shall live for you through the power of God.

Indeed, when I came among you, I was weak, and full of fears, and in great anxiety.

We, for Christ's sake, are 'fools,' but you, by your union with Christ, are men of discernment. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are despised.

You remember that it was owing to bodily infirmity that on the first occasion I told you the Good News.

General references

He shall not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets;

Indeed, when I came among you, I was weak, and full of fears, and in great anxiety.