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23 But you must continue to believe God's true message. Do not turn away from it. Continue to trust God, as you did when you first heard the good news. People have told this good news to everyone all over the world. And God has chosen me, Paul, as his servant to tell this good news.

Paul's work for Christ's people

24 At this time, I am suffering on your behalf, but I am still happy. Christ himself suffered on behalf of his people, the church. Now, while I live in my human body, I also suffer. I continue to receive the pain that Christ received, so that it may be complete.[a] In that way, I help the church, which is like Christ's own body.

25 I have become God's servant, so that I can help the church. God chose me to do that. He chose me to explain his message to you completely.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:24 The Bible says that Christians will have troubles and pain. See Acts 14:22 and 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4. Christians, like Paul, sometimes suffer because they are helping other Christians. Paul does not mean that we have to do anything else to save ourselves. Christ suffered on our behalf. His death saves us completely, if we believe in him. We also suffer because we are his people.

23 if you continue(A) in your faith, established(B) and firm, and do not move from the hope(C) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,(D) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.(E)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice(F) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,(G) for the sake of his body, which is the church.(H) 25 I have become its servant(I) by the commission God gave me(J) to present to you the word of God(K) in its fullness—

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