Study Desk

withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts;

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

For I bear him witness, that he hath much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

how that our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake.

For from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not to speak anything.

For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God,

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come.

For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain:

For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness;

For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.

For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews;

But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire:

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

For ye are our glory and our joy.

that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed.

For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know.