Study Desk

For our witness does not come from error or from an unclean heart or from deceit:

For it is common knowledge among you that we never made use of smooth-sounding false words, and God is witness that at no time were we secretly desiring profit for ourselves,

Or looking for glory from men, from you or from others, when we might have made ourselves a care to you as Apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle among you, like a woman caring for her little ones:

Even so, being full of loving desire for you, we took delight in giving you not only God's good news, but even our lives, because you were dear to us.

For you have the memory, my brothers, of our trouble and care; how, working night and day, so that we might not be a trouble to any of you, we gave you the good news of God.

And for this cause we still give praise to God, that, when the word came to your ears through us, you took it, not as the word of man, but, as it truly is, the word of God, which has living power in you who have faith.

For you, my brothers, took as your examples the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; because you underwent the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Jews;

But we, my brothers, being away from you for a short time, in body but not in heart, had all the more desire to see your face;

For which reason we made attempts to come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan kept us from coming.

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

For you are our glory and our joy.

So that no man might be moved by these troubles; because you see that these things are part of God's purpose for us.

For this reason, when I was no longer able to keep quiet, I sent to get news of your faith, fearing that you might be tested by the Evil One and that our work might come to nothing.

For this cause, brothers, in all our trouble and grief we were comforted about you because of your faith;

For it is life to us if you keep your faith in the Lord unchanged.

For how great is the praise which we give to God for you, and how great the joy with which we are glad because of you before our God;

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus make a way for us to come to you;

For the purpose of God for you is this: that you may be holy, and may keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh;

And that no man may make attempts to get the better of his brother in business: for the Lord is the judge in all these things, as we said to you before and gave witness.