Study Desk

We suffer in the hope that you will be comforted and saved. And because we are comforted, you will also be comforted, as you patiently endure suffering like ours.

This is because Jesus Christ the Son of God is always "Yes" and never "No." And he is the one that Silas, Timothy, and I told you about.

We are not bosses who tell you what to believe. We are working with you to make you glad, because your faith is strong.

The reason I want to be happy is to make you happy. I wrote as I did because I didn't want to visit you and be made to feel bad, when you should make me feel happy.

I also wrote because I wanted to test you and find out if you would follow my instructions.

The Law was given with a glory that faded away. But the glory of the new agreement is much greater, because it will never fade away.

We face death every day because of Jesus. Our bodies show what his death was like, so that his life can also be seen in us.

In the Scriptures it says, "I spoke because I had faith." We have that same kind of faith. So we speak

because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together with you.

While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home.

These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die.

We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord.

Now I am happy, but not because I hurt your feelings. It is because God used your hurt feelings to make you turn back to him, and none of you were harmed by us.

And we were greatly encouraged. Although we were encouraged, we felt even better when we saw how happy Titus was, because you had shown that he had nothing to worry about.

They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to.

A year ago you were the first ones to give, and you gave because you wanted to. So listen to my advice.

When we begged Titus to visit you, he said he would. He wanted to because he cared so much for you.

We are also sending someone else with Titus and the other follower. We approve of this man. In fact, he has already shown us many times that he wants to help. And now he wants to help even more than ever, because he trusts you so much.

So I have decided to ask Titus and the others to spend some time with you before I arrive. This way they can arrange to collect the money you have promised. Then you will have the chance to give because you want to, and not because you feel forced to.

Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much.