For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who of us hopes for something we see?

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Those who claim to be respectable are more and more convinced they are right.

Trust in the LORD. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the LORD.

Trust in the LORD and do good; live in the land and be safe.

Put your hope in the LORD and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out.

The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him,

So it is best for us to wait in patience---to wait for him to save us---

Such will be the spread of evil that many people's love will grow cold.

But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.

Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him any more.

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.

So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.

I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith.

And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day---and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear.

We do not want you to become lazy, but to be like those who believe and are patient, and so receive what God has promised.

Abraham was patient, and so he received what God had promised.

Do not lose your courage, then, because it brings with it a great reward.

You need to be patient, in order to do the will of God and receive what he promises.

Be patient, then, my friends, until the Lord comes. See how patient farmers are as they wait for their land to produce precious crops. They wait patiently for the autumn and spring rains.

You also must be patient. Keep your hopes high, for the day of the Lord's coming is near.

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.

"If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches! "Those who win the victory will not be hurt by the second death.

I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

And he also wanted to reveal his abundant glory, which was poured out on us who are the objects of his mercy, those of us whom he has prepared to receive his glory.

You like to receive praise from one another, but you do not try to win praise from the one who alone is God; how, then, can you believe me?

For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day.

For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.

God's plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God.

Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.

You love him, although you have not seen him, and you believe in him, although you do not now see him. So you rejoice with a great and glorious joy which words cannot express,

Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed.

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.

For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die.

So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: "Death is destroyed; victory is complete!"

but now it has been revealed to us through the coming of our Savior, Christ Jesus. He has ended the power of death and through the gospel has revealed immortal life.

For sin pays its wage---death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

And this is what Christ himself promised to give us---eternal life.