4 But we commend ourselves in every way as [true] servants of God: through great endurance, in tribulation and suffering, in hardships and privations, in sore straits and calamities,
4 Instead, we commend ourselves as ministers of God in every way. We did this with our great endurance through problems, disasters, and stressful situations.
So I am happy when I have weaknesses. I am happy when people say bad things to me. I am happy when I have hard times. I am happy when people treat me badly. And I am happy when I have problems. All these things are for Christ. And I am happy with these things, because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.
I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes.
When I was with you, I did the things that prove that I am an apostle—I did signs, wonders, and miracles. {\cf2\super [47]} I did these things with much patience.
God made us able to be servants of a new agreement \{from God to his people\}. This new agreement is not a written law. It is of the Spirit. {\cf2\super [9]} The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Let the priests, the Lord’s servants,\par cry between the porch {\cf2\super [15]} and the altar. {\cf2\super [16]} \par All of those people should say these things:\par “Lord, have mercy on your people.\par Don’t let your people be put to shame.\par Don’t let other people tell jokes\par about your people.\par Don’t let people in other nations\par \{laugh at us and\} say,\par ‘Where is their God?’”\par
You followed my command to endure patiently. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the whole world. This trouble will test the people who live on the earth.
I am John, and I am your brother \{in Christ\}. We are together in Jesus, and we share these things: suffering, the kingdom, and patient endurance. I was on the island of Patmos {\cf2\super [7]} because I was faithful to God’s message {\cf2\super [8]} and to the truth of Jesus.
We have those many people \{of faith\} around us. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we should be like them. We too should run the race that is before us and never stop trying. We should take away \{from our lives\} anything that would stop us. And we should take away the sin that so easily catches us.
But you should control yourself at all times. When troubles come, accept those troubles. Do the work of telling the Good News. Do all the duties of a servant of God.
So don’t be ashamed to tell people about our Lord \{Jesus\}. And don’t be ashamed of me—I am in prison for the Lord. But suffer with me for the Good News. {\cf2\super [5]} God gives us the strength to do that.
But you are a man of God. So you should stay away from all those things. Try to live in the right way, serve God, have faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Tell these things to the brothers and sisters there. This will show that you are a good servant of Christ Jesus. You will show that you are made strong by the words of faith and good teaching that you have followed.
But women will be saved in their work of having children. They will be saved if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, and control themselves in the right way.
We ask you, brothers and sisters, to warn those people who don’t work. Encourage the people who are afraid. Help the people who are weak. Be patient with every person.
that God will strengthen you with his\par own great power;\par that God will strengthen you,\par so that you will be patient\par and not quit when troubles come.\par
Are those people serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than those people. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times.
If I needed something when I was with you, I did not trouble any of you. The brothers who came from Macedonia gave me all that I needed. I did not allow myself to be a burden to you in any way. And I will never be a burden to you.
You had the kind of sorrow God wanted you to have. Now see what that sorrow has brought you: That sorrow has made you very serious. It made you want to prove that you were not wrong. It made you angry and afraid. It made you want \{to see me\}. It made you care. It made you want the right thing to be done. You proved that you were not guilty in any part of that problem.
But we have turned away from secret and shameful ways. We don’t use trickery, and we don’t change the teaching of God. No! We teach the truth plainly. This is how we show people who we are. And this is how they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are before God.
“My Jewish brothers, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you. God proved this by the powerful and amazing things he did through Jesus. You all saw these things. So you know this is true.
Priests, servants of the Lord, cry!\par Why? Because there will be no more\par grain and drink offerings\par in the Lord’s temple. {\cf2\super [3]} \par
You will be called, ‘The Lord’s Priests,’ ‘The Servants of our God.’ You will have the riches that come from all the nations on earth. And you will be proud you have it.
When we do wrong, that shows more clearly that God is right. So can we say that God does wrong when he punishes us? (I am using an idea that some people might have.)