Study Desk

for a great and effective door has opened for me, and there are many opponents.

But if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to fear, for he is carrying out the Lord's work, as I also am.

Therefore do not let anyone disdain him, but send him on his way in peace in order that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Now I urge you, brothers—you know about the household of Stephanas, that they are the first fruits of Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the ministry for the saints—

Now I rejoice over the arrival of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because these make up for your absence,

for they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore recognize such people.

For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, thus through Christ our comfort overflows also.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that is at work in the patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you are sharers in the sufferings, so also you will be sharers in the comfort.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning our affliction that happened in the province of Asia, that we were burdened to an extraordinary degree, beyond our strength, so that we were in despair even of living.

while you also join in helping on our behalf by prayer, so that thanks may be given on our behalf by many persons for this gracious gift given to us through the help of many.

For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, in holiness and purity of motive from God, not in merely human wisdom, but by the grace of God.

For we are not writing anything else to you except what you can read or also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely,

just as you have also understood us in part, that we are your reason for boasting, just as you are also ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, did not become "yes" and "no," but has become "yes" in him.

For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are "yes"; therefore also through him is the "amen" to the glory of God through us.

Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

For I have decided this for myself, not to come to you again in sorrow.

For if I cause you sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad by me?

For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not so that you may be caused to be sad, but so that you may know the love that I have especially for you.