covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, indeed, holding fast to salvation, though we speak in this manner.

For God is not unjust, to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

You are our letter written in our hearts, known and read by all men.

I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother remains in death.

And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.

And at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles;

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,

This salutation by my own hand: Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but partake in the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God,

for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of bonds; but the Word of God is not bound.

indeed while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and afflictions, and also while you became companions of those who were so treated;

for you had compassion on me in my bonds, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing, yourselves, that you have a better and an enduring possession in Heaven.

but the others out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.

for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

Now this I do through the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

but rejoice in so far as you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also rejoice with exceeding joy.

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory about to be revealed: