3 我 們 凡 事 都 不 叫 人 有 妨 礙 ， 免 得 這 職 分 被 人 毀 謗 ；
4 反 倒 在 各 樣 的 事 上 表 明 自 己 是 神 的 用 人 ， 就 如 在 許 多 的 忍 耐 、 患 難 、 窮 乏 、 困 苦 、
5 鞭 打 、 監 禁 、 擾 亂 、 勤 勞 、 儆 醒 、 不 食 、
6 廉 潔 、 知 識 、 恆 忍 、 恩 慈 、 聖 靈 的 感 化 、 無 偽 的 愛 心 、
7 真 實 的 道 理 、 神 的 大 能 ； 仁 義 的 兵 器 在 左 在 右 ；
8 榮 耀 、 羞 辱 ， 惡 名 、 美 名 ； 似 乎 是 誘 惑 人 的 ， 卻 是 誠 實 的 ；
9 似 乎 不 為 人 所 知 ， 卻 是 人 所 共 知 的 ； 似 乎 要 死 ， 卻 是 活 著 的 ； 似 乎 受 責 罰 ， 卻 是 不 至 喪 命 的 ；
10 似 乎 憂 愁 ， 卻 是 常 常 快 樂 的 ； 似 乎 貧 窮 ， 卻 是 叫 許 多 人 富 足 的 ； 似 乎 一 無 所 有 ， 卻 是 樣 樣 都 有 的 。
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our
ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather,
as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in
troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots;
in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and
kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in
the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the
left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report
and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,
and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor,
yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Paul demonstrates himself as a servant of God apart from suffering for God's ministry, he lives out a godly character in integrity, knowledge of God, patience, and kindness. This noble character is linked up with the Holy Spirit, unhypocritical love, words of truth, and the Power of God.
Paul goes on to list out the various antitheses in his ministry life: weapons of righteousness in offense and defense; glory and dishonor; bad and good report, and the tension between human appearance and divine reality: genuine before God and regarded as impostors before the world; known before God and yet regarded as unknown before men; dying but yet live on; beaten and yet not killed; sorrowful and yet always rejoicing; poor and yet making many rich; having nothing and yet possessing everything. Paul lives in suffering and weaknesses in people's eyes and yet with the power of the Holy Spirit he can always overcome and persevere.
Dear Lord Jesus, You yourself have already set up an example for all believers, and Paul also followed your footstep that in the midst of rejection, opposition, persecution, and all kinds of attack, we can still triumph by the power of the Holy Spirit in our weaknesses. This is a tension of earthly Christian life empowered by the Spirit. My Spirit, I desire to live out a Spirit-empowered life in the rest of my life. I pray for convergence of my life and at the same time I pray that Your power and presence is to be manifested in my strength and also my weaknesses.
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