1194 verses about Encouragement

But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted.

Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

But I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia, for I am passing through Macedonia.

But with you it may be that I will stay, or even winter, that you may send me on my journey wherever I go.

for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

Therefore let no one despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brothers.

Now concerning Apollos, the brother, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers; and it was not at all his desire to come now; but he will come when he has an opportunity.

Now I beg you, brothers (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints),

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part, they supplied.

For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge those who are like that.

The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house.

All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

This greeting is by me, Paul, with my own hand.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;

who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;

you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

For we write no other things to you, than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end;

as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit;

and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn’t come to Corinth to spare you.

Not that we control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.

so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.

I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

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

pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” Psalm 116:10 We also believe, and therefore also we speak;

Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

for we walk by faith, not by sight.

For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you.” Isaiah 49:8 Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;

as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also open your hearts.

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more.

For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.

So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God.

Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

For if in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth.

His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him.

I rejoice that in everything I am confident concerning you.

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.

So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.

But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace.

I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

I give a judgment in this: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing.

But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known throughout all the assemblies.

Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.

We have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ.

Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.

for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for a year past. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them.

But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared,

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God;

while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.

For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,

that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting.

For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.

but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you that don’t travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.” Isaiah 54:1