For this[finds] favor,iffor the sakeof consciencetoward Goda personbears up undersorrowswhen sufferingunjustly.
"Behold,I knowyour thoughts,And the plansby which you would wrongme.
AllYour commandmentsare faithful;They have persecutedme with a lie;helpme!
Do not let those who are wrongfullymy enemiesrejoiceover me; Nor let those who hateme withoutcausewinkmaliciously.
But my enemiesare vigorous[and] strong,And manyare those who hateme wrongfully.
Those who hateme withouta causeare morethanthe hairsof my head;Those who would destroyme are powerful,being wrongfullymy enemies;WhatI did not steal,I thenhave to restore.
"Ifyou lovethosewho loveyou, whatcreditis [that] to you? For evensinnerslovethosewho lovethem.
"But allthese thingsthey will doto you for My name'ssake,becausethey do not knowthe One who sentMe.
Then when he arrivedand witnessedthe graceof God,he rejoicedand [began] to encouragethem allwith resoluteheartto remain[true] to the Lord;
Thereforeit is necessaryto be in subjection,not onlybecauseof wrath,but alsofor conscience'sake.
But by the graceof GodI amwhatI am,and His gracetowardme did not provevain;but I laboredeven morethan allof them, yetnot I, but the graceof Godwith me.
For our proud confidenceis this:the testimonyof our conscience,that in holinessand godlysincerity,not in fleshlywisdombut in the graceof God,we have conductedourselves in the world,and especiallytowardyou.
Now,brethren,we [wish to] make knownto you the graceof Godwhich has been givenin the churchesof Macedonia,
For thisreasonI alsosufferthese things,but I am not ashamed;for I knowwhomI have believedand I am convincedthat He is ableto guardwhat I have entrustedto Him untilthat day.
Otherwise,would they not have ceasedto be offered,becausethe worshipers,having oncebeen cleansed,would nolongerhave hadconsciousnessof sins?
For whatcreditis there if,when you sinand are harshly treated,you endureit with patience?But ifwhen you do what is rightand suffer[for it] you patiently endureit, this[finds] favorwith God.
Makesure that noneof you suffersas a murderer,orthief,orevildoer,ora troublesome meddler;