²³ except that ^(A)the Holy Spirit solemnly ^(B)testifies to me in every city, saying that ^(C)chains and afflictions await me.

⁴ After looking up ^(A)the disciples, we stayed there for seven days; and they kept telling Paul, ^[a](B)through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem.

¹¹ And he came to us and ^(A)took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This ^(B)is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will ^(C)bind the man who owns this belt and ^(D)hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

¹³ Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For ^(A)I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for ^(B)the name of the Lord Jesus.”

⁴ but in everything ^(A)commending ourselves as ^[a](B)servants of God, ^(C)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, ⁵ in ^(D)beatings, in imprisonments, in ^(E)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in ^(F)hunger, ⁶ in purity, in ^(G)knowledge, in ^(H)patience, in kindness, in the ^(I)Holy Spirit, in ^(J)genuine love, ⁷ in ^(K)the word of truth, and in ^(L)the power of God; by ^(M)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and ^(N)dishonor, by ^(O)evil report and good report; regarded as ^(P)deceivers and yet ^(Q)true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well known, as ^(R)dying and yet behold, ^(S)we are alive; as ^[c]punished and yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as ^(T)sorrowful yet always ^(U)rejoicing, as ^(V)poor yet making many rich, as ^(W)having nothing and yet possessing ^(X)all things.

^11 (Y)Our mouth ^[d]has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our ^(Z)heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained ^[e]by us, but ^(AA)you are restrained in your own ^[f]affections. ¹³ Now in the same way in ^(AB)exchange—I am speaking as to ^(AC)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

^14 (AD)Do not be ^[g]mismatched with ^(AE)unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness ^(AF)share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? ¹⁵ Or what ^(AG)harmony does Christ have with ^[h]Belial, or ^[i]what does a ^(AH)believer share with an ^(AI)unbeliever? ¹⁶ Or ^(AJ)what agreement does ^[j]the temple of God have with idols? For we are ^[k](AK)the temple of ^(AL)the living God; just as God said,

²³ Are they ^(A)servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in ^(B)far more labors, in ^(C)far more imprisonments, ^[a](D)beaten times without number, often in danger of ^(E)death. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews ^(F)thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(G)beaten with rods, once I was ^(H)stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea. ²⁶ I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my ^(I)countrymen, dangers from the ^(J)Gentiles, dangers in the ^(K)city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among ^(L)false brothers; ²⁷ I have been in ^(M)labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in ^(N)hunger and thirst, often ^(O)without food, in cold and ^[b](P)exposure.

³ so that no one would be ^[a]disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that ^(A)we have been destined for this.