Paul contrasts works, which do not save, with God’s purpose and grace, which brings life. Paul’s exalted language suggests he is also arguing that such a glorious message is worthy of their suffering. They are a reminder of the power of God on whom Christians rely. These verses summarize the gospel for which God’s servants suffer. Boldness, not cowardice, is a mark of the Spirit (see Prov. The Greek ( deilia) in extrabiblical literature refers to one who flees from battle, and has a strong pejorative sense referring to cowardice. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:7–10įor God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Others understand Paul’s phrase not as limited to two weapons but as a way of saying that he is fully equipped with spiritual power for any situation.

6:17), and one for defense, usually a shield (on the left see Eph. 6:11), perhaps meaning one for offense, usually a sword (on the right see Eph. Weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left is best seen as a reference to the spiritual weapons God provides (see Eph. 12:12), which is then illustrated by the specific examples that follow (2 Cor. Paul’s divinely enabled endurance is his general testimony to the power of the Spirit in his life and ministry (2 Cor. The glory of the gospel shines forth from a Christian’s life in the way he responds to suffering and opposition. Not only through victories and triumphs but also by the way he endures hardship, Paul gives testimony to the truthfulness of his apostolic ministry. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true as unknown, and yet well known as dying, and behold, we live as punished, and yet not killed as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing as poor, yet making many rich as having nothing, yet possessing everything. We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love by truthful speech, and the power of God with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. Fittingly, Jesus’ Farewell Discourse (John 13:31–16:33) ends on a note of triumph (cf. In the midst of the suffering and hardship that was to come, Jesus’ disciples, and all following them, can have such “peace” in fellowship with Christ. But take heart I have overcome the world. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. Rulers and powers here likely refer to angelic and demonic authorities. Paul answers the question he raised in Romans 8:35 with absolute certainty that nothing can ever sever God’s people from his love. They are not exempted from suffering or even from being killed.Ĭhristians are more than conquerors, because God turns everything-even suffering and death-into good. The quotation from Psalm 44:22 shows that the difficulties listed in Romans 8:35 do strike Christians. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. “For your sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

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

Be encouraged by these passages and commentary from the ESV Study Bible. But, with his power and presence in our lives, we are called to endure and thus shine the light of Christ in a dark world. It is a guarantee that we will have trouble in this world as Jesus himself did. This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series.

Hard times in life bible verses