The Spiritual War

10 Now (A)I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—(B)who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

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Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!

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10 “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but (A)his bodily presence is weak, and his (B)speech contemptible.”

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10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(A) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(B)

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29 Take My yoke upon you (A)and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and (B)lowly in heart, (C)and you will find rest for your souls.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 11:29 meek

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,(A) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.(B)

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Indeed I, Paul, say to you that (A)if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

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Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(A) Christ will be of no value to you at all.

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Living Sacrifices to God

12 I (A)beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies (B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 12:1 urge
  2. Romans 12:1 rational

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

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A bruised reed He will not break,
And [a]smoking flax He will not [b]quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
(A)And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:3 dimly burning
  2. Isaiah 42:3 extinguish

A bruised reed(A) he will not break,(B)
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.(C)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;(D)
    he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice(E) on earth.
    In his teaching(F) the islands(G) will put their hope.”(H)

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The Thorn in the Flesh

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a (A)thorn in the flesh was given to me, (B)a messenger of Satan to [a]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (C)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly (D)I will rather boast in my infirmities, (E)that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:7 beat

or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(B) a messenger of Satan,(C) to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(D) But he said to me, “My grace(E) is sufficient for you, for my power(F) is made perfect in weakness.(G)(H) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

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30 If I must boast, (A)I will boast in the things which concern my [a]infirmity.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:30 weakness

30 If I must boast, I will boast(A) of the things that show my weakness.(B)

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(A)I was with you (B)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

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I came to you(A) in weakness(B) with great fear and trembling.(C)

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Vision of the Son of Man

I, John, [a]both your brother and (A)companion in the tribulation and (B)kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:9 NU, M omit both

John’s Vision of Christ

I, John,(A) your brother and companion in the suffering(B) and kingdom(C) and patient endurance(D) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus.(F)

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22 “Who(A) committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

23 (B)who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but (C)committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

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22 “He committed no sin,(A)
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[a](B)

23 When they hurled their insults at him,(C) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.(D) Instead, he entrusted himself(E) to him who judges justly.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9

Living Before the World

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts (A)which war against the soul,

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Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

11 Dear friends,(A) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(B) to abstain from sinful desires,(C) which wage war against your soul.(D)

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yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

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yet I prefer to appeal to you(A) on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner(B) of Christ Jesus—

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