⁹ Have I not commanded you? ^(A)Be strong and courageous. ^(B)Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

²⁵ He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, ^(A)walking in the midst of the fire, and they ^(B)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like ^(C)a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, ^(D)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the ^(E)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then ^(F)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ²⁷ And the ^(G)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and ^(H)the king's counselors gathered together and saw that ^(I)the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their ^(J)cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.

⁹ But he said to me, ^(A)“My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(B)my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that ^(C)the power of Christ may rest upon me. ^10 (D)For the sake of Christ, then, ^(E)I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For ^(F)when I am weak, then I am strong.

Suffering as a Christian

¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at ^(A)the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice ^(B)insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad ^(C)when his glory is revealed.