^3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ^(B)according to His great mercy ^(C)has caused us to be born again to ^(D)a living hope through the ^(E)resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to obtain an ^(F)inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and ^(G)will not fade away, ^(H)reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are ^(I)protected by the power of God ^(J)through faith for ^(K)a salvation ready ^(L)to be revealed in the last time. ^6 (M)In this you greatly rejoice, even though now ^(N)for a little while, ^(O)if necessary, you have been distressed by ^(P)various ^[a]trials, ⁷ so that the ^[b](Q)proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes ^(R)though tested by fire, ^(S)may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at ^(T)the revelation of Jesus Christ;

^2 (A)Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter ^(B)various ^[a]trials, ³ knowing that ^(C)the testing of your ^(D)faith produces ^[b](E)endurance. ⁴ And let ^[c](F)endurance have its perfect ^[d]result, so that you may be ^[e](G)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

¹⁹ But ^(A)Jews came from ^(B)Antioch and ^(C)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they ^(D)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead. ²⁰ But while ^(E)the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for ^(F)Derbe. ²¹ And after they had ^(G)preached the gospel to that city and had ^(H)made a good number of disciples, they returned to ^(I)Lystra, to ^(J)Iconium, and to ^(K)Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of ^(L)the disciples, encouraging them to continue in ^(M)the faith, and saying, “^(N)It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ When ^(O)they had appointed ^(P)elders for them in every church, having ^(Q)prayed with fasting, they ^(R)entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.