Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

After spending some time there, he left and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the believers.

Give strength to hands that are tired and to knees that tremble with weakness.

He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be faultless on the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

while we sent Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in preaching the Good News about Christ. We sent him to strengthen you and help your faith,

For while we were still with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to be persecuted; and as you well know, that is exactly what happened.

But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.

When he arrived and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad and urged them all to be faithful and true to the Lord with all their hearts.

After the people had left the meeting, Paul and Barnabas were followed by many Jews and by many Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism. The apostles spoke to them and encouraged them to keep on living in the grace of God.

So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples;

you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.

You must, of course, continue faithful on a firm and sure foundation, and must not allow yourselves to be shaken from the hope you gained when you heard the gospel. It is of this gospel that I, Paul, became a servant---this gospel which has been preached to everybody in the world.

My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for the faith which once and for all God has given to his people.

But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,

and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.

"People will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me.

"You have stayed with me all through my trials;

and just as my Father has given me the right to rule, so I will give you the same right.

Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?"

Those who love their own life will lose it; those who hate their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal.

Whoever wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me.

"I have told you this, so that you will not give up your faith.

You will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God.

I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!"

Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him; for if we share Christ's suffering, we will also share his glory.

For while we were still with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to be persecuted; and as you well know, that is exactly what happened.

Do not be ashamed, then, of witnessing for our Lord; neither be ashamed of me, a prisoner for Christ's sake. Instead, take your part in suffering for the Good News, as God gives you the strength for it.

This is a true saying: "If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.

If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

Everyone who wants to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted;

My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you.

Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don't be ashamed of it, but thank God that you bear Christ's name.

Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory.

"I don't know, sir. You do," I answered. He said to me, "These are the people who have come safely through the terrible persecution. They have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb.

I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

And if your eye makes you lose your faith, take it out! It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell.

The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus went on to say, "My children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!

It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

In this way you will be given the full right to enter the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.