For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward {man} is renewed day by day.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but {this} one thing {I do}, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

{We are} troubled on every side, yet not distressed; {we are} perplexed, but not in despair; {in despair: or, altogether without help, or, means}

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset {us}, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

And if by grace, then {is it} no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if {it be} of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? {shall} tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

According to my earnest expectation and {my} hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but {that} with all boldness, as always, {so} now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether {it be} by life, or by death.

We are confident, {I say}, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. {offered: Gr. poured forth}

Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

But in all {things} approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, {approving: Gr. commending}

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. {believed: or, trusted}

Hereby perceive we the love {of God}, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down {our} lives for the brethren.

Great {is} my boldness of speech toward you, great {is} my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and {that} all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, {hath...: or, to all men, hath appeared}

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. {in yourselves...: or, that ye have in or, for} yourselves}

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, {love: or, pity}

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

Delivering thee from the people, and {from} the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. {there unto: or, to sufferings, or, to persecution}

But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation {of the gospel} is committed unto me.

And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of {them} all the Lord delivered me.

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard {him};

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

If any {man} come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time {are} not worthy {to be compared} with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished {my} course, I have kept the faith:

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things {but} loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them {but} dung, that I may win Christ,

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here {am} I; send me. {Here...: Heb. behold me}

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which {is} not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. {present: Heb. found}

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, {hath...: or, to all men, hath appeared}

If it be {so}, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver {us} out of thine hand, O king.

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast {some} of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest {it}, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. {offering up: or, sacrificing}

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that {is} unprofitable for you. {have...: or, guide}

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for {it were} better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not {he}. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of {his} feet I am not worthy to loose.

Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love {is} strong as death; jealousy {is} cruel as the grave: the coals thereof {are} coals of fire, {which hath a} most vehement flame. {cruel: Heb. hard}

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called {to be} an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who {is there}, that, {being} as I {am}, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men {and} brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, {if ought} but death part thee and me.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

For we stretch not ourselves beyond {our measure}, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in {preaching} the gospel of Christ:

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

According to my earnest expectation and {my} hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but {that} with all boldness, as always, {so} now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether {it be} by life, or by death.

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. {offered: Gr. poured forth}

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with {all his} might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that {were} therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than {they} which he slew in his life. {me: Heb. my soul}

{His} disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

Zebulun and Naphtali {were} a people {that} jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. {jeoparded: Heb. exposed to reproach}

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that {was} by the gate, and took {it}, and brought {it} to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and {be} not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, {and} which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that {was} by the gate, and took {it}, and brought {it} to David: but David would not drink {of} it, but poured it out to the LORD,

If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. {my chief...: Heb. the head of my joy}

And she said unto him, My father, {if} thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, {even} of the children of Ammon.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.