The Lord’s Grace to Paul

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,^(A) that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.^(B)

¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.^(A)

¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side^(A) and gave me strength,^(B) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^(C) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^(D)

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace^(A) is sufficient for you, for my power^(B) is made perfect in weakness.^(C)”^(D) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(E) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(F) in persecutions,^(G) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(H)

²⁵ I have become its servant^(A) by the commission God gave me^(B) to present to you the word of God^(C) in its fullness—

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy^(A) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.^(B)

Concerning the Unmarried

²⁵ Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord,^(A) but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(B) is trustworthy.

²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(A)