Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(A)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(B)I am filling up ^(C)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(D)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (E)of which I became a minister according to ^(F)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (G)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (H)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(I)the riches of the glory of ^(J)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(K)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(L)we may present everyone ^(M)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(N)I toil, ^(O)struggling ^(P)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

¹⁴ And ^(A)the Word ^(B)became flesh and ^(C)dwelt among us, ^(D)and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son^[a] from the Father, full of ^(E)grace and ^(F)truth.

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together ^(A)for good,^[a] for ^(B)those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he ^(C)foreknew he also ^(D)predestined ^(E)to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be ^(F)the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also ^(G)justified, and those whom he justified he also ^(H)glorified.

God's Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? ^(I)If God is for us, who can be^[b] against us?

⁶ For God, who said, ^(A)“Let light shine out of darkness,” ^(B)has shone in our hearts to give ^(C)the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^(D)jars of clay, ^(E)to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. ^(A)Though our outer self^[a] is wasting away, ^(B)our inner self ^(C)is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For ^(D)this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ^18 (E)as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

¹⁰ And ^(A)after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, ^(B)who has called you to his ^(C)eternal glory in Christ, will himself ^(D)restore, ^(E)confirm, strengthen, and establish you.