Study Desk

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised.

because a wide door for effective ministry has opened for me—yet many oppose me.

If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear from you, because he is doing the Lord's work, just as I am.

I am pleased to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence.

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort.

I do not mean that we have control of your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand by faith.

I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn't have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours.

I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.

Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses' face because of the glory from his face—a fading glory—

In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it.

but their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.

Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus.

For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus' life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn't experience any loss from us.

So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your diligence for us might be made plain to you in the sight of God.

For this reason we have been comforted. In addition to our comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titus had, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.