God's Provision

¹⁰ I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length ^(A)you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be ^(B)content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^(C)hunger, abundance and ^(D)need. ¹³ I can do all things ^(E)through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Yet it was kind of you ^(F)to share^[a] my trouble.

²³ Are they ^(A)servants of Christ? ^(B)I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^(C)far more imprisonments, ^(D)with countless beatings, and ^(E)often near death. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^(F)forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(G)beaten with rods. ^(H)Once I was stoned. Three times I ^(I)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶ on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, ^(J)danger from my own people, ^(K)danger from Gentiles, ^(L)danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ^27 (M)in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^(N)in hunger and thirst, often without food,^[a] in cold and exposure. ²⁸ And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for ^(O)all the churches.