Are they servantsof Christ?--I speakas if insane--I more so;in far morelabors,in far moreimprisonments,beatentimes without number,oftenin danger of death.
JeremiahcommandedBaruch,saying,"I am restricted;I cannotgointo the houseof the LORD.
But Jewscamefrom Antiochand Iconium,and having won overthe crowds,they stonedPauland draggedhim out of the city,supposinghim to be dead.
exceptthat the HolySpiritsolemnly testifiesto me in everycity,sayingthat bondsand afflictionsawaitme.
And comingto us, he tookPaul'sbeltand boundhis ownfeetand hands,and said,"This is whatthe HolySpiritsays:'In this waythe Jewsat Jerusalemwill bindthe manwhoownsthisbeltand deliverhim into the handsof the Gentiles.'"
Whilethey were spendingmanydaysthere,FestuslaidPaul'scasebefore the king,saying,"There is a manwho was leftas a prisonerby Felix;
Whenit was decidedthat we would sailfor Italy,they proceeded to deliverPauland someotherprisonersto a centurionof the AugustancohortnamedJulius.
Whenwe enteredRome,Paulwas allowedto stayby himself,with the soldierwho was guardinghim.
And he stayedtwofullyearsin his ownrented quartersand was welcomingallwho cameto him,
for I will showhim how muchhe mustsufferfor My name'ssake."
Justas it is written,"FOR YOUR SAKEWE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATHALLDAYLONG; WE WERE CONSIDEREDAS SHEEPTO BE SLAUGHTERED."
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.
Whatthenis Apollos?And whatis Paul?Servantsthroughwhomyou believed,evenas the Lordgave[opportunity] to each one.
Let a manregardus in this manner,as servantsof Christand stewardsof the mysteriesof God.
To thispresenthourwe are bothhungryand thirsty,and are poorly clothed,and are roughly treated,and are homeless;
For, I think,Godhas exhibitedus apostleslast of all,as men condemned to death;becausewe have becomea spectacleto the world,bothto angelsand to men.
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.
For I considermyself not in the leastinferiorto the most eminentapostles.
whoalsomade us adequate[as] servantsof a newcovenant,not of the letterbut of the Spirit;for the letterkills,but the Spiritgives life.
For we who liveare constantlybeing delivered overto deathfor Jesus'sake,sothat the lifeof Jesusalsomay be manifestedin our mortalflesh.
as unknownyetwell-known,as dyingyetbehold,we live;as punishedyetnot put to death,
From nowon let no onecausetroublefor me, for I bearon my bodythe brand-marksof Jesus.
For thisreasonI, Paul,the prisonerof ChristJesusfor the sakeof you Gentiles--
ThereforeI, the prisonerof the Lord,imploreyou to walkin a manner worthyof the callingwith whichyou have been called,
for whichI am an ambassadorin chains;that in [proclaiming] it I may speak boldly,as I oughtto speak.
sothat my imprisonmentin [the cause of] Christhas becomewell knownthroughoutthe wholepraetorian guardand to everyoneelse,
But evenifI am being poured out as a drink offeringupon the sacrificeand serviceof your faith,I rejoiceand share my joywith you all.
NowI rejoicein my sufferingsfor your sake,and in my fleshI do my shareon behalfof His body,whichis the church,in fillingup whatis lackingin Christ'safflictions.
For thispurpose alsoI labor,strivingaccordingto His power, which mightilyworkswithinme.
and we sentTimothy,our brotherand God'sfellow workerin the gospelof Christ,to strengthenand encourageyou as to your faith,
In pointingout these thingsto the brethren,you will be a goodservantof ChristJesus,[constantly] nourishedon the wordsof the faithand of the sounddoctrinewhichyou have been following.
The Lordgrantmercyto the houseof Onesiphorus,for he oftenrefreshedme and was not ashamedof my chains;
Thereforedo not be ashamedof the testimonyof our Lordorof me His prisoner,but join with [me] in sufferingfor the gospelaccordingto the powerof God,
for whichI suffer hardshipevento imprisonmentas a criminal;but the wordof Godis not imprisoned.
persecutions,[and] sufferings,suchas happenedto me at Antioch,at Iconium[and] at Lystra;whatpersecutionsI endured,and out of them allthe Lordrescuedme!
yet for love'ssakeI ratherappeal[to you]-- since I amsuch a personas Paul,the aged,and nowalsoa prisonerof ChristJesus--
For you showed sympathyto the prisonersand acceptedjoyfullythe seizureof your property,knowingthat you havefor yourselvesa betterpossessionand a lastingone.
