Paul Prays and Gives Thanks

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. ⁴ We thank him because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus. We have also heard that you love all God’s people. ⁵ Your faith and love are based on the hope you have. What you hope for is stored up for you in heaven. You have already heard about it. You were told about it when the true message was given to you. I’m talking about the good news ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the good news is bearing fruit. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world. It has been doing that among you since the day you heard it. That is when you really understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned the good news from Epaphras. He is dear to us. He serves Christ together with us. He faithfully works for Christ and for us among you. ⁸ He also told us about your love that comes from the Holy Spirit.

¹⁰ The governor motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know that you have been a judge over this nation for quite a few years. So I am glad to explain my actions to you. ¹¹ About 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. You can easily check on this. ¹² Those bringing charges against me did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple. I wasn’t stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. ¹³ They can’t prove to you any of the charges they are making against me. ¹⁴ It is true that I worship the God of our people. I am a follower of the Way of Jesus. Those bringing charges against me call it a cult. I believe everything that is in keeping with the Law. I believe everything that is in keeping with what is written in the Prophets. ¹⁵ I have the same hope in God that these men themselves have. I believe that both the godly and the ungodly will rise from the dead. ¹⁶ So I always try not to do anything wrong in the eyes of God or in the eyes of people.

¹⁶ The promise is based on God’s grace. The promise comes by faith. All of Abraham’s children will certainly receive the promise. And it is not only for those who are ruled by the law. Those who have the same faith that Abraham had are also included. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ It is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:5) God considers Abraham to be our father. The God that Abraham believed in gives life to the dead. Abraham’s God also creates things that did not exist before.

¹⁸ When there was no reason for hope, Abraham believed because he had hope. He became the father of many nations, exactly as God had promised. God said, “That is how many children you will have.” (Genesis 15:5) ¹⁹ Abraham did not become weak in his faith. He accepted the fact that he was past the time when he could have children. At that time Abraham was about 100 years old. He also realized that Sarah was too old to have children. ²⁰ But Abraham kept believing in God’s promise. He became strong in his faith. He gave glory to God. ²¹ He was absolutely sure that God had the power to do what he had promised. ²² That’s why “God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God.” (Genesis 15:6) ²³ The words “God accepted Abraham’s faith” were written not only for Abraham. ²⁴ They were written also for us. We believe in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. So God will accept our faith and make us right with himself. ²⁵ Jesus was handed over to die for our sins. He was raised to life in order to make us right with God.

Peace and Hope

5 We have been made right with God because of our faith. Now we have peace with him because of our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through faith in Jesus we have received God’s grace. In that grace we stand. We are full of joy because we expect to share in God’s glory. ³ And that’s not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on. ⁴ The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope. ⁵ And hope will never bring us shame. That’s because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. This happened through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Suffering Now and Glory in the Future

¹⁸ What we are suffering now is nothing compared with our future glory. ¹⁹ Everything God created looks forward to the future. That will be the time when his children appear in their full and final glory. ²⁰ The created world was held back from fulfilling its purpose. But this was not the result of its own choice. It was planned that way by the one who held it back. God planned ²¹ to set the created world free. He didn’t want it to rot away. Instead, God wanted it to have the same freedom and glory that his children have.

²² We know that all that God created has been groaning. It is in pain as if it were giving birth to a child. The created world continues to groan even now. ²³ And that’s not all. We have the Holy Spirit as the promise of future blessing. But we also groan inside ourselves. We do this as we look forward to the time when God adopts us as full members of his family. Then he will give us everything he has for us. He will raise our bodies and give glory to them. ²⁴ That’s the hope we had when we were saved. But hope that can be seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ We hope for what we don’t have yet. So we are patient as we wait for it.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be honest and true. Hate what is evil. Hold on to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another deeply. Honor others more than yourselves. ¹¹ Stay excited about your faith as you serve the Lord. ¹² When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.

¹³ The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.