But the Lord said to my father David: 'Since you have planned in your heart to build a house to my name, you have done well by considering this plan in your mind.
His lord said to him: 'Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the gladness of your lord.'
And this has pleased them, because they are in their debt. For, since the Gentiles have become partakers of their spiritual things, they also ought to minister to them in worldly things.
So then, it is right for me to feel this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, and because, in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers of my joy.
But I have everything in abundance. I have been filled up, having received from Epaphroditus the things that you sent; this is an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
And certainly, in one way, by insults and tribulations, you were made a spectacle, but in another way, you became the companions of those who were the object of such behavior.
For you even had compassion on those who were imprisoned, and you accepted with gladness being deprived of your goods, knowing that you have a better and more lasting substance.
I, John, your brother, and a sharer in the tribulation and in the kingdom and in patient endurance for Christ Jesus, was on the island which is called Patmos, because of the Word of God and the testimony to Jesus.