Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.21 I speak according to dishonour, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also.22 They are Hebrews: so am I. They are Israelites: so am I. They are the seed of Abraham: so am I.23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise). I am more; in many more labours, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.24 Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes, save one.25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea.26 In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren.27 In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.28 Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches.29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.
And one aim and one end, as far as regards perfection, being demonstrated to belong to the man and the woman, Peter in his Epistle says, "Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold which perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ; whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls." Wherefore also Paul rejoices for Christ's sake that he was "in labours, more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft."
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth.3 In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.4 O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.5 I sought the Lord, and he heard me; and he delivered me from all my troubles.6 Come ye to him and be enlightened: and your faces shall not be confounded.7 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him: and saved him out of all his troubles.
The Lord loves thankful people. They never cease to praise him, and they regularly thank him. In both good times and bad times they offer praise and thanksgiving to God. They worship the Lord, the God of times, without regard to what the times are like.
Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal.†20 But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.21 For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.22 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome.†23 But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be!
Otherwise; from the office of the light of the eye, He calls it the light of the heart; which if it continue single and brilliant, will confer on the body the brightness of the eternal light, and pour again into the corrupted flesh the splendor of its origin, that is, in the resurrection. But if it be obscured by sin, and evil in will, the bodily nature will yet abide subject to all the evils of the understanding.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)