Study Desk

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself.

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

He who rescued us from so deadly a peril will continue to rescue us; on him we have set our hope that he will rescue us again,

as you also join in helping us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Since I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a double favor;

So I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit.

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came, I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice; for I am confident about all of you, that my joy would be the joy of all of you.

so now instead you should forgive and console him, so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

So I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said farewell to them and went on to Macedonia.

For we are not peddlers of God's word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.

Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside,

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.

For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.

So death is at work in us, but life in you.

But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—"I believed, and so I spoke"—we also believe, and so we speak,

Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.