¹¹ And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

^2 (A)Bear one another's burdens, and ^(B)so fulfill ^(C)the law of Christ.

²⁷ Only ^(A)let your manner of life be ^(B)worthy^[a] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^(C)that you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^(D)one mind ^(E)striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is ^(F)a clear sign to them of their destruction, but ^(G)of your salvation, and that from God.

The Example of Christ

15 ^(A)We who are strong ^(B)have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

³² but ^(A)I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, ^(B)strengthen your brothers.”

²⁰ In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. ^(A)Our God will fight for us.”

⁹ And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

Ammonites and Syrians Defeated

¹⁰ When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. ¹¹ The rest of his men he put in the charge of ^(A)Abishai his brother, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites. ¹² And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you.