Now who is qualified for such a task? I am, for I am not a peddler of God's message, like the most of them, but like a man of sincerity, like a man that is sent from God and living in His presence, in union with Christ I speak His message.

For see what this very sorrow, suffered in accordance with the will of God, has done for you! How earnest it has made you, how concerned to clear yourselves, how indignant, how alarmed, how much it made you long to see me, how loyal to me, how determined to punish the offender! At every point you have cleared yourselves in the matter.

"Fellow Israelites, listen to what I say. Jesus of Nazareth, as you yourselves well know, a man accredited to you by God through mighty deeds and wonders and wonder-works which God performed through Him right here among you,

whoever in this way continues serving Christ is well-pleasing to God and approved by men.

Remember me to Apelles, that most venerated Christian. Remember me to the members of Aristobulus' family.

If we have sown the spiritual seed for you, is it too great for us to reap a material support from you?

For our appeal did not originate from a delusion or an impure motive; it was not made in fraud;

But women will be saved through motherhood, if they continue to live in faith, love, and purity, blended with good sense.

Approving

On the other hand, I have renounced all underhanded, disgraceful methods; I neither practice cunning nor do I tamper with God's message, but by clear and candid statements of truth I try to commend myself to every human conscience in God's sight.

But God proves His love for us by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

As

He has qualified even me as a minister of the new covenant, which is not a written but a spiritual covenant. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Are they ministers of Christ? So am I. I am talking like a man that has gone crazy -- as such I am superior! -- serving Him with labors greater by far, with far more imprisonments, with floggings vastly worse, and often at the point of death.

Then what is Apollos? Or what is Paul? Mere servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord gave each of us his task.

As for us apostles, men ought to think of us as ministers of Christ and trustees to handle God's uncovered truths.

and so I sent my brother Timothy, God's minister in the preaching of the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,

If you continue to put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever feeding your own soul on the truths of the faith and of the fine teaching which you have followed.

In much

The marks that signify the genuine apostle were exhibited among you in my perfect patience, in signs, wonders, and wonder-works.

By your endurance you will win your souls.

And not only that, but this too: let us continue exulting in our sufferings, for we know that suffering produces endurance,

then you will be perfectly empowered by His glorious might for every sort of joyous endurance and forbearance,

We beg you, brothers, continue to warn the shirkers, to cheer the faint-hearted, to hold up the weak, and to be patient with everybody.

But you, as a man of God, must be fleeing always from these things; you must constantly strive for uprightness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

But you, on your part, have faithfully followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

Therefore, as we have so vast a crowd of spectators in the grandstands, let us throw off every impediment and the sin that easily entangles our feet, and run with endurance the race for which we are entered,

So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and late rains,

I, John, your brother and companion with you in the trouble, the kingdom, and the patient endurance which Jesus gives, found myself on the island called Patmos, for preaching God's message and testifying to Jesus.

Because you have kept my message with the patient endurance that I give you, I also will keep you from the time of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test the inhabitants of the earth.

Afflictions

For this slight and momentary sorrow continues to accumulate for me a solid and eternal glory far beyond any comparison,

except that in town after town the Holy Spirit emphatically assures me that imprisonment and sufferings are awaiting me.

I am now glad to be suffering for you, and in my own person I am filling in what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for His body, that is, the church.

so that none of you might be deceived amid these difficulties. For you knew yourselves that this is our appointed lot,

So you must never be ashamed of me His prisoner, but suffer for the good news in fellowship with me and by the power of God.

my persecutions, my sufferings, such as befell me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, such as I endured but the Lord delivered me out of them all.

But you, on your part, must always keep your head cool, suffer hardship, do your work as a herald of the good news, and so fill your ministry to the brim.

Necessities

and when I was with you and needed money, I never burdened a single one of you for a cent, for the brothers came from Macedonia and supplied what I needed. And so I kept myself, as I shall always do, from being a burden to you in any way.

So I most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the strength of Christ may overshadow me. That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecution, and difficulties, which I endure for Christ's sake, for it is when I am consciously weak that I am really strong.

You know yourselves that these hands of mine provided for my own needs and for my companions.

To this very hour we have gone hungry, thirsty, poorly clad; we have been roughly knocked around; we have had no home.

Not that I refer to any personal want, for I have learned to be contented in whatever circumstances I am.

Distresses

On every side I am ever hard-pressed, but never hemmed in; always perplexed, but never to the point of despair;

Who can separate us from Christ's love? Can suffering or misfortune or persecution or hunger or destitution or danger or the sword?

this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties,

General references

Yes, as for myself, it was in weakness and fear and great trembling that I came to you,