^19 (A)serving the Lord ^(B)with all humility and with ^(C)tears and with trials that happened to me through ^(D)the plots of the Jews;

⁴ For ^(A)I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

³ There he spent three months, and when ^(A)a plot was made against him by the Jews^[a] as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

²⁴ knowing that from the Lord ^(A)you will receive the inheritance as your reward. ^(B)You are serving the Lord Christ.

¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, ^(A)be fervent in spirit,^{[a] (B)}serve the Lord.

⁷ So ^(A)to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,^{[a] (B)}a thorn was given me in the flesh, ^(C)a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ^8 (D)Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. ⁹ But he said to me, ^(E)“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(F)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(G)the power of Christ may rest upon me. ^10 (H)For the sake of Christ, then, ^(I)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^(J)when I am weak, then I am strong.

⁵ For even ^(A)when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—^(B)fighting without and fear within.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^(A)jars of clay, ^(B)to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸ We are ^(C)afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but ^(D)not forsaken; ^(E)struck down, but not destroyed; ^10 (F)always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^(G)so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Paul Stoned at Lystra

^19 (A)But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, ^(B)they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.