You must compete in the excellent competition, and take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the excellent confession in the sight of many witnesses.
But I don’t consider my life worth even a single mention. Instead I aim to finish my race and the deacon-work which I received from the Lord Jesus—to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
“I know your works. Look! I have given you an open door that no one can shut, because you have little power, and kept my word, and have not denied my name.
Because you kept my word to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing which is about to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
But the seed that fell on the excellent ground, these are the ones who have an honest and excellent heart, who hear the word, hold it tightly, and through perseverance, produce fruit.
I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were once made concerning you, that by them you may fight the excellent battle,
As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do y’all suppose that I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie his sandals.’
I went up because of a revelation, and I laid before them the gospel that I preach among the ethnic groups, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.
They were each given a long white robe. They were told that they should rest for a short time, until the full number was reached of their fellow slaves and their siblings who were going to be killed as they had been.