For I longto seeyou sothat I may impartsomespiritualgiftto you, that you may be established;
"Nowyou have indeedgoneaway becauseyou longedgreatlyfor your father'shouse;[but] whydid you stealmy gods?"
[The heart of] KingDavidlongedto goout to Absalom;for he was comfortedconcerningAmnon,sincehe was dead.
Davidhada cravingand said,"Ohthat someonewould giveme waterto drinkfrom the wellof Bethlehemwhichis by the gate!"
They roseearlyin the morningand wentout to the wildernessof Tekoa;and when they wentout, Jehoshaphatstoodand said,"Listento me, O Judahand inhabitantsof Jerusalem,putyour trustin the LORDyour Godand you will be established.Putyour trustin His prophetsand succeed."
Sothe churcheswere being strengthenedin the faith,and were increasingin numberdaily.
Nowafterthese thingswere finished,Paulpurposedin the spiritto goto Jerusalemafter he had passed throughMacedoniaand Achaia,saying,"AfterI have beenthere,I mustalsoseeRome."
And when Paulhad laidhis handsupon them, the HolySpiritcameon them, and they [began] speakingwith tonguesand prophesying.
that is, that I may be encouraged togetherwith you [while] amongyou, each of us by the other'sfaith,bothyoursand mine.
but now,with no furtherplacefor me in theseregions,and since I have hadfor manyyearsa longingto cometo you
I knowthat when I cometo you, I will comein the fullnessof the blessingof Christ.
sothat I may cometo you in joyby the willof Godand find [refreshing] restin your company.
Nowto Him who is ableto establishyou accordingto my gospeland the preachingof JesusChrist,accordingto the revelationof the mysterywhich has been kept secretfor long agespast,
In thisconfidenceI intendedat firstto cometo you, sothat you might twicereceivea blessing;
NowHe who establishesus with you in Christand anointedus is God,
For ifone comesand preachesanotherJesuswhomwe have not preached,oryou receivea differentspiritwhichyou have not received,ora differentgospelwhichyou have not accepted,you bear[this] beautifully.
while they also,by prayeron your behalf,yearnfor you becauseof the surpassinggraceof Godin you.
For Godis my witness,howI longfor you allwith the affectionof ChristJesus.
becausehe was longingfor you alland was distressedbecauseyou had heardthat he was sick.
Therefore,my belovedbrethrenwhom I long[to see], my joyand crown,in this waystand firmin the Lord,my beloved.
sothat He may establishyour heartswithout blamein holinessbeforeour Godand Fatherat the comingof our LordJesuswith allHis saints.
and we sentTimothy,our brotherand God'sfellow workerin the gospelof Christ,to strengthenand encourageyou as to your faith,
comfortand strengthenyour heartsin everygoodworkand word.
But the Lordis faithful,and He will strengthenand protectyou from the evil[one].
Do not be carried awayby variedand strangeteachings;for it is goodfor the heartto be strengthenedby grace,not by foods,throughwhichthosewho were so occupiedwere not benefited.
After you have sufferedfor a little while,the Godof allgrace,who calledyou to His eternalgloryin Christ,will Himselfperfect,confirm,strengthen[and] establishyou.
ThroughSilvanus,our faithfulbrother(for soI regard[him]), I have writtento you briefly,exhortingand testifyingthat thisis the true graceof God.Stand firmin it!
Therefore,I will alwaysbe readyto remindyou of these things,even thoughyou [already] know[them], and have been establishedin the truthwhich is presentwith [you].
