Don’t Lose Your Faith!^(A)

³¹ “Simon [^CPeter], Simon, [^Llook; ^Tbehold,] Satan has ·asked [de-manded; sought permission] to ·test all of you as a farmer sifts his [^Lsift all of you as] wheat.

³² [^LBut] I have prayed [^Lfor you] that ·you will not lose your faith [your faith will not fail]! And when you ·come back to me [return; turn back], help your brothers be stronger.”

⁷ So that I would not become too proud ·of the wonderful things that were shown to me [or because of these extraordinary revelations; ^Cthis phrase may be part of the previous sentence], a ·painful physical problem [^Lthorn in the flesh] was given to me. This problem was a messenger from Satan, sent to ·beat [torment; harrass; trouble] me and keep me from being too proud. ⁸ I ·begged [pleaded with] the Lord three times ·to take this problem away from [^Lthat it might leave] me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is ·enough for you [sufficient for you; all you need]. ·When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you [^LFor (my) power is perfected in weakness].” So I am very happy to ·brag [boast] about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can ·live [reside; or rest] in me.

²⁰ The God ·who brings [^Lof] peace will soon ·defeat Satan and give you power over him [crush Satan under your feet; Gen. 3:15].

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.