Now I, Paul, myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who face to face am lowly among you, but when I am away am bold toward you.
Now the portion of the Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, thus He opened not His mouth.
Therefore, brothers, I exhort you through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your intelligent service.
But I beseech you that when I am present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I plan to be bold toward some, who consider us as walking according to the flesh.
Do you look at things as they appear? If anyone has persuaded himself that he is Christ's, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ's, even so we are Christ's.
Great is my confidence toward you, great is my boasting concerning you. I have been filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.
if indeed you continue in the faith, having been founded and firm and not drifting away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was proclaimed to all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
I, John, your brother and partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Christ Jesus, came to be on the island that is called Patmos on account of the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.