What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall anguish, or calamity, or persecution, or famine? Shall nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written. For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. read more. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors Through Him who loved us. For I am fully persuaded that neither death nor life, Neither angels nor principalities, nor powers, Neither the present world nor the world to come, Nor the powers of Nature, Nor height, nor depth, Nor any other created thing, Shall be able to separate us from the love of God Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For this reason, as I have said, I do not lose courage, but even though my outward man is wasting away, my inward man is being renewed, day by day. For my light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, read more. while I am gazing not at things seen, but at things unseen; for things seen are temporal, but things unseen are eternal.

It was for this reason, lest I should be over-elated, that there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be over-elated. Concerning this, three times over I supplicated the Lord that it might leave me; read more. but he has answered me. "My grace is sufficient for you; it is in weakness that my power is perfected." Most gladly therefore will I boast rather of my weakness, that over me like a tent may be pitched the power of Christ. That is why I rejoice in weakness, in ill-treatment, in troubles, in persecutions and calamities for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

My brothers, when you are beset by various temptations, count it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith is working out endurance.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.