The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.