The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope.

忍耐生老练，老练生盼望；

忍耐生老练，老练生盼望，

忍耐生老练，老练生盼望，

忍耐生品格，品格生盼望。

忍耐产生毅力，毅力产生盼望；

忍耐生出品德，品德生出盼望，

忍耐生老練，老練生盼望；

忍耐生老練，老練生盼望，

忍耐生老練，老練生盼望，

忍耐生品格，品格生盼望。

忍耐產生毅力，毅力產生盼望；

堅忍能生出老練，老練能生出盼望；

忍耐生出品德，品德生出盼望，

強忍生練達、練達生希望、

強忍生練達、練達生希望、

忍耐生練達、練達生希望、

堅忍所以致純熟、純熟則有望、

perseverance, character; and character, hope.

and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:

endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

and endurance, character, and character, hope.

and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope:

Blessed is the person who keeps on going when times are hard. After they have come through hard times, this person will receive a crown. The crown is life itself. The Lord has promised it to those who love him.

God always gives you all the grace you need. So you will only have to suffer for a little while. Then God himself will build you up again. He will make you strong and steady. And he has chosen you to share in his eternal glory because you belong to Christ.

The first time I was put on trial, no one came to help me. Everyone deserted me. I hope they will be forgiven for it.The Lord stood at my side. He gave me the strength to preach the whole message. Then all the Gentiles heard it. I was saved from the lion’s mouth.The Lord will save me from every evil attack. He will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Give him glory for ever and ever. Amen.

When I remember what has happened, I tell God all my troubles. I remember how I used to walk to the house of God. The Mighty One guarded my steps. We shouted with joy and praised God as we went along with the joyful crowd.My spirit, why are you so sad? Why are you so upset deep down inside me? Put your hope in God. Once again I will have reason to praise him. He is my Savior and my God.

Because you know all this, you have great joy. You have joy even though you may have had to suffer for a little while. You may have had to suffer sadness in all kinds of trouble.Your troubles have come in order to prove that your faith is real. Your faith is worth more than gold. That’s because gold can pass away even when fire has made it pure. Your faith is meant to bring praise, honor and glory to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ returns.

We are pushed hard from all sides. But we are not beaten down. We are bewildered. But that doesn’t make us lose hope.Others make us suffer. But God does not desert us. We are knocked down. But we are not knocked out.We always carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies. In that way, the life of Jesus can be shown in our bodies.We who are alive are always in danger of death because we are serving Jesus. This happens so that his life can also be shown in our earthly bodies.Death is at work in us. But life is at work in you.

We are known, but people treat us as if we were unknown. We are dying, but we continue to live. We are beaten, but we are not killed.We are sad, but we are always full of joy. We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but we own everything.

But David said to Saul,“ I’ve been taking care of my father’s sheep. Sometimes a lion or a bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock.Then I would go after it and hit it. I would save the sheep it was carrying in its mouth. If it turned around to attack me, I would grab its hair. I would strike it down and kill it.In fact, I’ve killed both a lion and a bear. I’ll do the same thing to this Philistine. He isn’t even circumcised. He has dared the armies of the living God to fight him.The Lord saved me from the paw of the lion. He saved me from the paw of the bear. And he’ll save me from the powerful hand of this Philistine too.” Saul said to David,“ Go. And may the Lord be with you.”

The men brought them to Joshua. Then he sent for all the men of Israel. He spoke to the army commanders who had come with him. He said,“ Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on the necks of the kings.Joshua said to them,“ Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope. Be strong and brave. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”

He comforts us in all our troubles. Now we can comfort others when they are in trouble. We ourselves receive comfort from God.We share very much in the sufferings of Christ. So we also share very much in his comfort.If we are having trouble, it is so that you will be comforted and renewed. If we are comforted, it is so that you will be comforted. Then you will be able to put up with the same suffering we have gone through.

But I will always have hope. I will praise you more and more.

My enemies are evil. They will trip and fall when they attack me and try to swallow me up.Even if an army attacks me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if war breaks out against me, I will still trust in God.

God, don’t leave me even when I’m old and have gray hair. Let me live to tell my children about your power. Let me tell all of them about your mighty acts.God, your saving acts reach to the skies. You have done great things. God, who is like you?You have sent many bitter troubles my way. But you will give me new life. Even if I’m almost in the grave, you will bring me back.You will honor me more and more. You will comfort me once again.My God, I will use the harp to praise you because you are always faithful. Holy One of Israel, I will use the lyre to sing praise to you.My lips will shout with joy when I sing praise to you. You have saved me.All day long my tongue will say that you have done what is right. Those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame. They have not been honored.

Everything written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us strength to go on. They encourage us and give us hope.