For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you
As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,
my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)
And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.
You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.
because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and beautiful habitation. Where are your zeal and your might? The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me.
Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.
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.