that I may knowHim and the powerof His resurrectionand the fellowshipof His sufferings,being conformedto His death;
Thussaysthe LORD,"Let not a wisemanboastof his wisdom,and let not the mightymanboastof his might,let not a richmanboastof his riches;
He saidto them, "My cupyou shall drink;but to siton My rightand on [My] left,thisis not Mineto give,but it is for those for whomit has been preparedby My Father."
"No onehas taken it awayfrom Me, but I layit downon My own initiative.I haveauthorityto lay it down,and I haveauthorityto takeit up again.ThiscommandmentI receivedfrom My Father."
"Thisis eternallife,that they may knowYou, the onlytrue God,and JesusChristwhomYou have sent.
and ifchildren,heirsalso,heirsof Godand fellow heirswith Christ,if indeedwe sufferwith [Him] sothat we may alsobe glorifiedwith [Him].
For those whomHe foreknew,He alsopredestined[to become] conformedto the imageof His Son,sothat He would be the firstbornamongmanybrethren;
Justas it is written,"FOR YOUR SAKEWE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATHALLDAYLONG; WE WERE CONSIDEREDAS SHEEPTO BE SLAUGHTERED."
whodeliveredus from so greata [peril of] death,and will deliver[us], He on whomwe have set our hope.And He will yetdeliverus,
For justas the sufferingsof Christare oursin abundance,soalsoour comfortis abundantthroughChrist.
For indeedHe was crucifiedbecauseof weakness,yetHe livesbecauseof the powerof God.For we alsoare weakin Him, yetwe will livewith Him becauseof the powerof God[directed] towardyou.
"I have been crucifiedwith Christ;and it is no longerI who live,but Christlivesin me; and the [life] whichI nowlivein the fleshI liveby faithin the Sonof God,who lovedme and gaveHimselfup for me.
From nowon let no onecausetroublefor me, for I bearon my bodythe brand-marksof Jesus.
untilwe allattainto the unityof the faith,and of the knowledgeof the Sonof God,to a matureman,to the measureof the staturewhich belongs to the fullnessof Christ.
More thanthat, I countallthingsto be lossin viewof the surpassing valueof knowingChristJesusmy Lord,for whomI have suffered the lossof all things,and countthem but rubbishsothat I may gainChrist,
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.
When you were deadin your transgressionsand the uncircumcisionof your flesh,He made you alive togetherwith Him, having forgivenus allour transgressions,
Thereforeifyou have been raisedup with Christ,keep seekingthe things above,whereChristis, seatedat the right handof God.
Blessedbe the Godand Fatherof our LordJesusChrist,who accordingto His greatmercyhas caused us to be born againto a livinghopethroughthe resurrectionof JesusChristfrom the dead,
I considerit right,as longas I amin this[earthly] dwelling,to stiryou up by wayof reminder,
By thiswe knowthat we have come to knowHim, ifwe keepHis commandments.
but whoeverkeepsHis word,in him the loveof Godhas trulybeen perfected.By thiswe knowthat we are in Him:
and the livingOne; and I was dead,and behold,I amaliveforevermore,and I havethe keysof deathand of Hades.
