The Character of Paul’s Ministry

³ We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. ⁴ Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, ⁵ by beatings, by imprisonments,^(A) by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, ⁶ by purity,^(B) by knowledge,^(C) by patience,^(D) by kindness,^(E) by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,^{(F) 7} by the word of truth,^[a](G) by the power of God;^(H) through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ through glory^(I) and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; ⁹ as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; ¹⁰ as grieving, yet always rejoicing;^(J) as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.