Study Desk

God in his mercy has given us this work to do, and so we do not become discouraged.

The God who said, "Out of darkness the light shall shine!" is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God's glory shining in the face of Christ.

At all times we carry in our mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life also may be seen in our bodies.

Throughout our lives we are always in danger of death for Jesus' sake, in order that his life may be seen in this mortal body of ours.

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus to life, will also raise us up with Jesus and take us, together with you, into his presence.

God is the one who has prepared us for this change, and he gave us his Spirit as the guarantee of all that he has in store for us.

We are ruled by the love of Christ, now that we recognize that one man died for everyone, which means that they all share in his death.

All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also.

Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ. God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.

Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ's behalf: let God change you from enemies into his friends!

It was not only his coming that cheered us, but also his report of how you encouraged him. He told us how much you want to see me, how sorry you are, how ready you are to defend me; and so I am even happier now.

That is why we were encouraged. Not only were we encouraged; how happy Titus made us with his happiness over the way in which all of you helped to cheer him up!

And so his love for you grows stronger, as he remembers how all of you were ready to obey his instructions, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; rich as he was, he made himself poor for your sake, in order to make you rich by means of his poverty.

Not only did he welcome our request; he was so eager to help that of his own free will he decided to go to you.

With him we are sending the brother who is highly respected in all the churches for his work in preaching the gospel.

As the scripture says, "He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts forever."

Let us thank God for his priceless gift!

Someone will say, "Paul's letters are severe and strong, but when he is with us in person, he is weak, and his words are nothing!"

So it is no great thing if his servants disguise themselves to look like servants of righteousness. In the end they will get exactly what their actions deserve.