³² But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,^(A)

⁴ For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit^(A)

⁴ In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

⁷ I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.^{(A) 8} From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.^(B)

³ Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?^{(A) 4} Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing.^(B)

⁸ Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for but may receive a full reward.^(A)

³ Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. ⁵ And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules.^{(A) 6} It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.^{(B) 10} Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^{(C) 11} The saying is sure:

¹⁶ Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.^(A)

²⁹ For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ but of suffering for him as well,^{(A) 30} since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.^(B)

8 ¹ And Saul approved of their killing him.

Saul Persecutes the Church

That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria.^{(A) 2} Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.^{(B) 3} But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.^(C)