³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

^28 (A)I give them eternal life, and ^(B)they will never perish, and ^(C)no one will snatch them out of my hand.

³³ I have said these things to you, that ^(A)in me you may have peace. ^(B)In the world you will have ^(C)tribulation. But ^(D)take heart; ^(E)I have overcome the world.”

¹⁷ For ^(A)this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

³ Not only that, but we ^(A)rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering ^(B)produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and ^(C)hope does not put us to shame, because God's love ^(D)has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

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. ^14 (D)If you are insulted ^(E)for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory^[a] and of God rests upon you.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ^(A)May it not be charged against them! ¹⁷ But ^(B)the Lord stood by me and ^(C)strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^(D)all the Gentiles might hear it. So ^(E)I was rescued ^(F)from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ^(G)To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

^12 (A)which is why I suffer as I do. But ^(B)I am not ashamed, for ^(C)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until ^(D)that day ^(E)what has been entrusted to me.^[a]