who also has made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of [the] letter but of [the] Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

but in everything commending ourselves as ministers of God: in much endurance, in tribulations, in hardships, in distresses,

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord has given to each one?

Let a man so consider us, as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, in order to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,

Instructing the brothers in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

For I consider [myself] [in] nothing to have been inferior to the most super apostles.

I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me! For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing have I been inferior to the super apostles, though I am nothing.

Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and miracles.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than them all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

for which I also labor, striving according to His working which is working in me with power.

By [the] Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have spent in the depth [of the sea].

but in everything commending ourselves as ministers of God: in much endurance, in tribulations, in hardships, in distresses,

in stripes, in imprisonments, in disturbances, in labors, in sleepless nights, in fastings;

For I will show him all the things that he must suffer for My name's sake."

For I will show him all the things that he must suffer for My name's sake."

who, having received such a command, cast them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

except that the Holy Spirit in every city is solemnly bearing witness, saying that bonds and tribulations are waiting for me.

And coming to us and taking Paul's belt, and binding his feet and hands, he said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, ' The man whose belt this is, the Jews will bind in this way in Jerusalem, and they will deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore sending for him more often, he was conversing with him.

But after two years had passed, Felix received Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desiring to grant favors to the Jews, left Paul in prison.

And as he was spending many days there, Festus laid before the king the charges against Paul, saying: "There is a certain man who was left a prisoner by Felix,

Now when it was decided that we should sail away to Italy, they handed over both Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan Regiment.

Now when we came to Rome, the centurion handed over the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him.

Then Paul remained two full years in his own rented house, and he was receiving all those who were coming to him,

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles--

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

for the sake of which I serve as an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I must speak.

so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but endure hardship with the gospel according to the power of God,

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me, and he was not ashamed of my chain;

in which I endure hardship unto chains as an evildoer; but the word of God is not chained.

rather on account of love I appeal to you--being such a one as Paul, the elder, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ--

For you sympathized with me in my chains, and you received the plunder of your possessions with joy, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and enduring possession in heaven.

Yes, we have had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,

who delivered us from so great a death, and is delivering [us]; in whom we trust that He will still deliver [us],

For we who are living are always handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifest in our body.

as being unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as being disciplined, and not being put to death;

But there arrived from Antioch and Iconium Jews, and having persuaded the crowds and having stoned Paul, they dragged [him] outside the city, supposing him to have died.

And why are we also in danger every hour?

If, in the manner of men, I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what is the benefit to me? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

But even if I am being poured upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice; [yea], and I rejoice with you all.

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the church,