NowI, Paul,myselfurgeyou by the meeknessand gentlenessof Christ--I whoam meekwhen face to facewith you, but boldtowardyou when absent!
For they say,"His lettersare weightyand strong,but his personalpresenceis unimpressiveand his speechcontemptible."
"TakeMy yokeupon you and learnfrom Me, for I amgentleand humblein heart,and YOU WILL FINDRESTFOR YOUR SOULS.
BeholdI, Paul,sayto you that ifyou receive circumcision,Christwill be of nobenefitto you.
ThereforeI urgeyou, brethren,by the merciesof God,to presentyour bodiesa livingand holysacrifice,acceptableto God,[which is] your spiritualservice of worship.
IfI haveto boast,I will boastof what pertains to my weakness.
I was with you in weaknessand in fearand in muchtrembling,
I, John,your brotherand fellow partakerin the tribulationand kingdomand perseverance[which are] in Jesus,was on the islandcalledPatmosbecauseof the wordof Godand the testimonyof Jesus.
Beloved,I urgeyou as aliensand strangersto abstainfrom fleshlylustswhichwage waragainstthe soul.
yet for love'ssakeI ratherappeal[to you]-- since I amsuch a personas Paul,the aged,and nowalsoa prisonerof ChristJesus--
I, Paul,write thisgreetingwith my ownhand,and thisis a distinguishing markin everyletter;this is the wayI write.
ThereforeI, the prisonerof the Lord,imploreyou to walkin a manner worthyof the callingwith whichyou have been called,
but you knowthat it was becauseof a bodilyillnessthat I preached the gospelto you the first time;
On behalfof such a manI will boast;but on my ownbehalfI will not boast,exceptin regard to [my] weaknesses.
To [my] shameI [must] saythat we have been weak[by comparison]. But in whateverrespect anyone[else] is bold--I speakin foolishness--I amjustas boldmyself.
You are lookingat things as they are outwardly.Ifanyoneis confidentin himselfthat he is Christ's,let him considerthisagainwithinhimself,that justas he is Christ's,soalsoare we.
I askthat when I am presentI [need] not be boldwith the confidencewith whichI proposeto be courageousagainstsome,who regardus as ifwe walkedaccordingto the flesh.
Greatis my confidencein you; greatis my boastingon your behalf.I am filledwith comfort;I am overflowingwith joyin allour affliction.
And working together[with Him], we alsourgeyou not to receivethe graceof Godin vain--
Therefore,we are ambassadorsfor Christ,as thoughGodwere making an appealthroughus; we begyou on behalfof Christ,be reconciledto God.
Thereforehavingsucha hope,we usegreatboldness in [our] speech,
We are foolsfor Christ'ssake,but you are prudentin Christ;we are weak,but you are strong;you are distinguished,but we are without honor.
But I have writtenvery boldlyto you on some pointssoas to remind you again,becauseof the gracethat was givenme from God,
And Isaiahis very boldand says,"I WAS FOUNDBY THOSEWHO DID NOT SEEKME, I BECAMEMANIFESTTO THOSEWHO DID NOT ASKFOR ME."
Nowthe passageof Scripturewhichhe was readingwas this:"HE WAS LEDAS A SHEEPTO SLAUGHTER;AND AS A LAMBBEFOREITS SHEARERIS SILENT,SOHE DOES NOT OPENHIS MOUTH.
"SAYTO THE DAUGHTEROF ZION,'BEHOLDYOUR KINGIS COMINGTO YOU, GENTLE,AND MOUNTEDON A DONKEY,EVENON A COLT,THE FOALOF A BEAST OF BURDEN.'"
Rejoicegreatly,O daughterof Zion!Shout[in triumph], O daughterof Jerusalem!Behold,your kingis comingto you; He is justand endowedwith salvation,Humble,and mountedon a donkey,Even on a colt,the foalof a donkey.
And in Your majestyrideon victoriously,For the causeof truthand meekness[and] righteousness;Let Your righthandteachYou awesomethings.
Whatdo you desire?Shall I cometo you with a rod,orwith loveand a spiritof gentleness?
For thisreasonI, Paul,the prisonerof ChristJesusfor the sakeof you Gentiles--
Let your gentle[spirit] be knownto allmen.The Lordis near.
ifindeedyou continuein the faithfirmly establishedand steadfast,and not moved awayfrom the hopeof the gospelthat you have heard,which was proclaimedin allcreationunderheaven,and of whichI, Paul,was madea minister.
I, Paul,am writingthis with my ownhand,I will repayit (not to mentionto you that you oweto me evenyour own selfas well).
