¹⁷ Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.

Suffering for Being a Christian

¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you^(A) to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness^(A) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire^(B)—may result in praise, glory and honor^(C) when Jesus Christ is revealed.^(D)

²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^(A)

¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial^(A) because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life^(B) that the Lord has promised to those who love him.^(C)

Trials and Temptations

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,^{(A) 3} because you know that the testing of your faith^(B) produces perseverance.^{(C) 4} Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature^(D) and complete, not lacking anything.

¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,

³ So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love^(A) is sick.”

⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory^(B) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Mourning for the One They Pierced

¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a](A) of grace and supplication.^(B) They will look on^[b] me, the one they have pierced,^(C) and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child,^(D) and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.^(E)