Study Desk

And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.

And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)

And they glorified God because of me.

And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.