Study Desk

If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

For I am the least of the apostles, and not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia;

Now if Timothy comes, take care that he is with you without fear, for he is doing the Lord's work, as I also am.

Great is my boldness toward you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I have been filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.

I rejoice that in everything I am encouraged about you.

I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

Now I, Paul, myself plead with you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ—I who am humble when face-to-face with you, but courageous toward you when absent!

But I beg that when I am present I need not act so courageously with the confidence that I consider to daringly use against some, who consider us as if we walked according to the flesh.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

But even if I am unskilled in word, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be found just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

What I am saying, I am not saying according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison. But in whatever respect anyone else is daring—I speak in foolishness—I am just as daring myself.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's seed? So am I.

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

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions and hardships, for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong.