¹¹ according to the glorious gospel of the ^(A)blessed God which was ^(B)committed to my trust.

Glory to God for His Grace^(C)

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has ^(D)enabled me, ^(E)because He counted me faithful, ^(F)putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although ^(G)I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[a]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because ^(H)I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ^14 (I)And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, ^(J)with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ^15 (K)This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that ^(L)Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

¹³ For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how ^(A)I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and ^(B)tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, ^(C)being more exceedingly zealous ^(D)for the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵ But when it pleased God, ^(E)who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, ^16 (F)to reveal His Son in me, that ^(G)I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with ^(H)flesh and blood,

Persecutions Are Coming^(A)

^16 (B)“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. ^(C)Therefore be wise as serpents and ^(D)harmless^[a] as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for ^(E)they will deliver you up to councils and ^(F)scourge you in their synagogues. ^18 (G)You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ^19 (H)But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For ^(I)it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ^20 (J)for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

^21 (K)“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²² And ^(L)you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. ^(M)But he who endures to the end will be saved.

^28 (A)And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather ^(B)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in ^[a]hell. ²⁹ Are not two ^(C)sparrows sold for a ^[b]copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ^30 (D)But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men^(E)

^32 (F)“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, ^(G)him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ^33 (H)But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Christ Brings Division^(I)

^34 (J)“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to ^(K)‘set^[c] a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ^(L)‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ ^37 (M)He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ^38 (N)And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ^39 (O)He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

²² But ^(A)be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For ^(B)if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But ^(C)he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, ^(D)this one will be blessed in what he does.