For you recall,brethren,our laborand hardship,[how] workingnightand daysoas not to be a burdento anyof you, we proclaimedto you the gospelof God.
"Pleaselet us goto the Jordanand eachof us takefrom therea beam,and let us makea placetherefor ourselves wherewe may live."So he said,"Go."
But the formergovernorswhowere beforeme laidburdenson the peopleand tookfrom them breadand winebesidesfortyshekelsof silver;eventheir servantsdomineeredthe people.But I did not dosobecauseof the fearof God.
Now that whichwas preparedfor each daywas oneox[and] sixchoicesheep,also birdswere preparedfor me; and oncein tendaysallsorts of wine[were furnished] in abundance.Yet for all thisI did not demandthe governor'sfood[allowance], becausethe servitudewas heavyon thispeople.
For dayand nightYour handwas heavyupon me; My vitalitywas drainedaway [as] with the feverheatof summer.Selah.
O LORD,the Godof my salvation,I have criedout by dayand in the nightbeforeYou.
She sensesthat her gainis good;Her lampdoes not goout at night.
Ohthat my headwere watersAnd my eyesa fountainof tears,That I might weepdayand nightFor the slainof the daughterof my people!
now,will not Godbring aboutjusticefor His electwho cryto Him dayand night,and will He delay longoverthem?
and then as a widowto the ageof eighty-four.She neverleftthe temple,servingnightand daywith fastingsand prayers.
and becausehe was of the same trade,he stayedwith them and they were working,for by tradethey were tent-makers.
"But I do not considermy lifeof anyaccountas dearto myself,sothat I may finishmy courseand the ministrywhichI receivedfrom the LordJesus,to testify solemnlyof the gospelof the graceof God.
"Thereforebe on the alert,rememberingthat nightand dayfor a period of three yearsI did not ceaseto admonisheachonewith tears.
Paul,a bond-servantof ChristJesus,called[as] an apostle,set apartfor the gospelof God,
to be a ministerof ChristJesusto the Gentiles,ministering as a priestthe gospelof God,sothat [my] offeringof the Gentilesmay becomeacceptable,sanctifiedby the HolySpirit.
in the powerof signsand wonders,in the powerof the Spirit;sothat from Jerusalemand round aboutas faras IllyricumI have fully preachedthe gospelof Christ.
and we toil,workingwith our ownhands;when we are reviled,we bless;when we are persecuted,we endure;
But I have usednoneof these things.And I am not writingthese thingssothat it will be donesoin my case;for it would be betterfor me to diethanhave anyman makemy boastan emptyone.
Whatthenis my reward?That, when I preach the gospel,I may offerthe gospelwithout charge,soas not to make full useof my rightin the gospel.
Do we not havea rightto eatand drink?
[I have been] in laborand hardship,throughmanysleepless nights,in hungerand thirst,oftenwithout food,in coldand exposure.
and when I was presentwith you and was in need,I was not a burdento anyone;for when the brethrencamefrom Macedoniathey fully suppliedmy need,and in everythingI keptmyselffrom being a burdento you, and will continueto do so.
in beatings,in imprisonments,in tumults,in labors,in sleeplessness,in hunger,
for evenin Thessalonicayou sent[a gift] morethanoncefor my needs.
constantlybearing in mindyour workof faithand laborof loveand steadfastnessof hopein our LordJesusChristin the presenceof our Godand Father,
but after we had already sufferedand been mistreatedin Philippi,as you know,we had the boldnessin our Godto speakto you the gospelof Godamidmuchopposition.
nordid we seekgloryfrom men,eitherfrom you orfrom others,even though as apostlesof Christwe might have assertedour authority.
as we nightand daykeep prayingmost earnestlythat we may seeyour face,and may completewhat is lackingin your faith?
accordingto the gloriousgospelof the blessedGod,with whichI have been entrusted.
For it is for thiswe laborand strive,becausewe have fixed our hopeon the livingGod,whois the Saviorof allmen,especiallyof believers.
Nowshe who is a widowindeedand who has been left alone,has fixed her hopeon Godand continuesin entreatiesand prayersnightand day.
I thankGod,whomI servewith a clearconsciencethe waymy forefathersdid, as I constantlyrememberyou in my prayersnightand day,
