we are of good courage,I say, and preferratherto be absentfrom the bodyand to be at homewith the Lord.
You will makeknownto me the pathof life;In Your presenceis fullnessof joy;In Your righthandthere are pleasuresforever.
As for me, I shall beholdYour facein righteousness;I will be satisfiedwith Your likenesswhen I awake.
The wickedis thrustdownby his wrongdoing,But the righteoushasa refugewhen he dies.
"His mastersaidto him, 'Well done,goodand faithfulslave.You were faithfulwith a few things,I will put you in chargeof many things;enterinto the joyof your master.'
"NowLord,You are releasingYour bond-servantto departin peace,Accordingto Your word;
"IfanyoneservesMe, he must followMe; and whereI am,thereMy servantwill be also;ifanyoneservesMe, the Fatherwill honorhim.
"IfI goand preparea placefor you, I will comeagainand receiveyou to Myself,that whereI am,[there] you may be also.
"Father,I desirethat they also,whomYou have givenMe, be with Me whereI am,sothat they may seeMy glorywhichYou have givenMe, for You lovedMe beforethe foundationof the world.
ThenPaulanswered,"Whatare you doing,weepingand breakingmy heart?For I amreadynot onlyto be bound,but evento dieat Jerusalemfor the nameof the LordJesus."
Therefore,being alwaysof good courage,and knowingthat while we are at homein the bodywe are absentfrom the Lord--
Thereforewe alsohave as our ambition,whetherat homeorabsent,to be pleasingto Him.
Beloved,nowwe are childrenof God,and it has not appearedas yetwhatwe will be. We knowthat whenHe appears,we will be likeHim, becausewe will seeHim justas He is.
There will nolongerbe anycurse;and the throneof Godand of the Lambwill be in it, and His bond-servantswill serveHim;
