We are pushed hard from all sides. But we are not beaten down. We are bewildered. But that doesn’t make us lose hope.

我们四面受敌，却不被困住；心里作难，却不至失望；

我们处处受困，却不被捆住；内心困扰，却没有绝望；

我们处处受困，却不被捆住；内心困扰，却没有绝望；

我们压力重重，却没有崩溃；心里困惑，却不绝望；

我们虽然四面受压，却没有压碎；心里作难，却不至绝望，

我们处处受患难，却不被压碎；心里困惑，却没有绝望；

我們四面受敵，卻不被困住；心裏作難，卻不致失望；

我們處處受困，卻不被捆住；內心困擾，卻沒有絕望；

我們處處受困，卻不被捆住；內心困擾，卻沒有絕望；

我們壓力重重，卻沒有崩潰；心裡困惑，卻不絕望；

我們雖然四面受壓，卻沒有壓碎；心裡作難，卻不至絕望，

我們四面受逼，卻沒有被困住；計謀絕了，卻沒有絕望；

我們處處受患難，卻不被壓碎；心裡困惑，卻沒有絕望；

我隨在遇難而不阨窮、顚連而不失望、

我常患難而不阨窮、顛連而不失望、

我諸事諸事或作隨在遇患難而不窮迫、遇顛沛而不失望、

故吾人雖四面受迫而未陷絕境也；雖進退維谷、而未淪末路也；

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.

We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair;

We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

[ We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed;[ we are] perplexed, but not in despair;

We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair;

We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy.Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue.And you must allow this strength to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need.

Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the terrible things happening to you. The trouble you are having has come to test you. So don’t feel as if something strange were happening to you.Instead, be joyful that you are taking part in Christ’s sufferings. Then you will have even more joy when Christ returns in glory.Suppose people say bad things about you because you believe in Christ. Then you are blessed, because God’s Spirit rests on you. He is the Spirit of glory.

Who can separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?It is written,“ Because of you, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be killed.”( Psalm 44:22)No! In all these things we are more than winners! We owe it all to Christ, who has loved us.

My enemies chase me all day long. Many proud people are attacking me.When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.

Because of how I suffered for Christ, I’m glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong.

When we came to Macedonia, we weren’t able to rest. We were attacked no matter where we went. We had battles on the outside and fears on the inside.

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.

And that’s not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on.The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope.And hope will never bring us shame. That’s because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. This happened through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

But the Lord will not leave the godly in their power. He will not let them be found guilty when they are brought into court.

I will not leave you like children who don’t have parents. I will come to you.

His wife said to him,“ Are you still continuing to be faithful to the Lord? Speak evil things against him and die!”Job replied,“ You are talking like a foolish woman. We accept good things from God. So we should also accept trouble when he sends it.” In spite of everything, Job didn’t say anything that was sinful.

You are tempted in the same way all other human beings are. God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted any more than you can take. But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out. Then you will be able to deal with it.

We don’t give up. Our bodies are becoming weaker and weaker. But our spirits are being renewed day by day.Our troubles are small. They last only for a short time. But they are earning for us a glory that will last forever. It is greater than all our troubles.

Samuel said to Saul,“ Why have you troubled me by bringing me up from the dead?”“ I’m having big problems,” Saul said.“ The Philistines are fighting against me. God has left me. He doesn’t answer me anymore. He doesn’t speak to me through prophets or dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what to do.”

Anyone who shows respect for the Lord has a strong tower. It will be a safe place for their children.

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the hard times we had in Asia Minor. We were having a lot of trouble. It was far more than we could stand. We even thought we were going to die.In fact, we felt as if we were under the sentence of death. But that happened so that we would not depend on ourselves but on God. He raises the dead to life.God has saved us from deadly dangers. And he will continue to do it. We have put our hope in him. He will continue to save us.

David was greatly troubled. His men were even talking about killing him by throwing stones at him. All of them were very bitter because their sons and daughters had been taken away. But David was made strong by the Lord his God.

Are they serving Christ? I am serving him even more. I’m out of my mind to talk like this! I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died.Five times the Jews gave me 39 strokes with a whip.Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from my fellow Jews and in danger from Gentiles. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers.I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.Besides everything else, every day I am concerned about all the churches. It is a very heavy load.If anyone is weak, I feel weak. If anyone is led into sin, I burn on the inside.If I have to brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am.

Instead, we make it clear that we serve God in every way. We serve him by standing firm in troubles, hard times and suffering.

The name of the Lord is like a strong tower. Godly people run to it and are safe.

Saul spoke to the man carrying his armor. He said,“ Pull out your sword. Stick it through me. If you don’t, these fellows who aren’t circumcised will come. They’ll stick their swords through me and hurt me badly.” But the man was terrified. He wouldn’t do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.