But we, brethren,having been taken awayfrom you for a shortwhile--in person,not in spirit--were all the moreeagerwith greatdesireto seeyour face.
"Nowyou have indeedgoneaway becauseyou longedgreatlyfor your father'shouse;[but] whydid you stealmy gods?"
Then Israelsaid,"It is enough;my sonJosephis stillalive.I will goand seehim beforeI die."
Israelsaidto Joseph,"I neverexpectedto seeyour face,and behold,Godhas let me seeyour childrenas well."
[The heart of] KingDavidlongedto goout to Absalom;for he was comfortedconcerningAmnon,sincehe was dead.
Then he saidto him, "Did not my heartgo[with you], whenthe manturnedfrom his chariotto meetyou? Is it a timeto receivemoneyand to receiveclothesand olivegrovesand vineyardsand sheepand oxenand maleand femaleservants?
O God,You are my God;I shall seekYou earnestly;My soulthirstsfor You, my fleshyearnsfor You, In a dryand wearylandwhere there is nowater.
"For whileyou are goingwith your opponentto appear beforethe magistrate,on [your] way[there] makean effortto settlewith him, sothat he may not dragyou beforethe judge,and the judgeturn you overto the officer,and the officerthrowyou into prison.
And He saidto them, "I have earnestlydesiredto eatthisPassoverwith you beforeI suffer;
The brethrenimmediatelysentPauland Silasawayby nightto Berea,and when they arrived,they wentinto the synagogueof the Jews.
I do not wantyou to be unaware,brethren,that oftenI have plannedto cometo you (and have been preventedsofar)sothat I may obtainsomefruitamongyou also,evenas amongthe restof the Gentiles.
but now,with no furtherplacefor me in theseregions,and since I have hadfor manyyearsa longingto cometo you
For I, on my part,thoughabsentin bodybut presentin spirit,have alreadyjudgedhim who has socommittedthis,as thoughI were present.
For eventhoughI am absentin body,neverthelessI amwith you in spirit,rejoicingto seeyour good disciplineand the stabilityof your faithin Christ.
But nowthat Timothyhas cometo us from you, and has brought us good newsof your faithand love,and that you alwaysthinkkindlyof us, longingto seeus justas we alsolong to see you,
