2 Corinthians 4:12

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.

Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

If it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part, they supplied.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect.

But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.

night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.

looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering.

The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!”

I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”

Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.

But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”

who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.

because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.